colon cancer survival rate | What are the survival rates for colorectal cancer according to the stage?

What are the survival rates for colorectal cancer according to the stage?





Survival rates indicate the number of people with the same type and stage of cancer who are still alive for a certain period of time (usually 5 years) after diagnosis. These rates can not tell you how long you will live, but they can help you gain a better understanding of how likely your treatment is to be effective. Some people will want to know the survival rates for the type and stage of the cancer they are suffering from, and some people will not. If you prefer, you can ignore the information about survival rates.

What is the 5-year survival rate?
Statistics on the prognosis for a certain type and stage of cancer are known as "5-year survival rates," but many people live longer (often well over 5 years). The 5-year survival rate is the percentage of people who live at least 5 years after the diagnosis of cancer. For example, a 5-year survival rate of 90% means that it is estimated that 90 out of every 100 people suffering from this cancer are still alive 5 years after being diagnosed. However, remember that many of these people live much more than 5 years after diagnosis.

Relative survival rates are a more accurate way to estimate the effect of cancer on survival. These rates compare people with colorectal cancer with people in the general population. For example, if the relative 5-year survival rate for a type and stage of cancer is 90%, this means that people with that cancer have, on average, about 90% chance, compared to people who do not. They suffer from this cancer, from living at least 5 years after being diagnosed.

But remember, the relative 5-year survival rates are estimates (your prognosis may vary based on a series of factors specific to you).

Survival rates do not indicate everything
Survival rates are often based on the previous results of a large number of people who had the disease; however, they can not predict what will happen in the particular case of each person. There are several limitations that must be taken into account:

The figures presented below are among the most current available. However, to obtain 5-year survival rates, physicians have to assess people who received treatment at least 5 years ago. As treatments improve over time, people who are now diagnosed with colorectal cancer may have a better prognosis than these statistics show.
These statistics are based on the stage of the cancer when the diagnosis was initially made. These do not apply to cancers that recur or that spread later, for example.
The prognosis for people with colorectal cancer varies according to the stage (extent) of the cancer (in general, survival rates are better for people with cancers at earlier stages). However, many other factors can affect a person's prognosis, such as their age and general health and how well they respond to cancer treatment. The prognosis for each person is specific to their circumstances.
The doctor can tell you how these figures can be applied to you, since you are familiar with your particular situation.

Survival rates of colon cancer according to stage
The numbers below are from the National Cancer Institute's SEER database, which included people diagnosed with colon cancer between 2004 and 2010.

The relative 5-year survival rate for people with stage I colon cancer is approximately 92%.
For people with stage IIA colon cancer, the relative 5-year survival rate is about 87%. For stage IIB cancer, the relative survival rate is approximately 63%.
The relative 5-year survival rate for stage IIIA colon cancers is approximately 89%. For stage IIIB cancers, the survival rate is around 69%; and for stage IIIC cancers, the survival rate is around 53%.
Colon cancers that have spread to other parts of the body are often more difficult to treat and often have a less favorable prognosis. Metastatic or stage IV colon cancers have a relative 5-year survival rate of approximately 11%. Even so, there are often many treatment options for people with this stage of cancer.
These statistics are based on a previous version of the TNM staging system. In that version, there was no IIC stage (those cancers were considered stage IIB). In addition, some types of cancer that are now considered stage IIIC were classified as stage IIIB, while some other types of cancer that are now considered stage IIIB were classified as stage IIIC.

Remember, these survival rates are just calculations, they can not predict what will happen to a particular person. We understand that these statistics can be confusing and may cause you to have more questions. Check with your doctor so you can better understand what your specific situation is.

Rectal cancer survival rates according to stage
The numbers below are from the National Cancer Institute's SEER database, which included people diagnosed with rectal cancer between 2004 and 2010.

The relative survival rate for people with stage I rectal cancer is approximately 87%.
For people with stage IIA rectal cancer, the relative 5-year survival rate is close to 80%. For stage IIB cancer, the relative survival rate is approximately 49%.
The relative 5-year survival rate for stage IIIA rectal cancers is approximately 84%. For stage IIIB cancers, the survival rate is around 71%; and for stage IIIC cancers, the survival rate is around 58%.
Recurrent cancers that have spread to other parts of the body are often more difficult to treat and often have a less favorable prognosis. Metastatic or stage IV rectal cancers have a relative 5-year survival rate of approximately 12%. Even so, there are often many treatment options for people with this stage of cancer.
These statistics are based on a previous version of the TNM staging system. In that version, there was no IIC stage (those cancers were considered stage IIB). In addition, some types of cancer that are now considered stage IIIC were classified as stage IIIB, while some other types of cancer that are now considered stage IIIB were classified as stage IIIC.

Remember, these survival rates are just calculations, they can not predict what will happen to a particular person. We understand that these statistics can be confusing and may cause you to have more questions. Check with your doctor so you can better understand what your specific situation is.