CDC reports cancer survivorship rates

Rowland JH. MMWR. 2011;60:269-272.

The number of cancer survivors in the US increased by nearly 2 million from 2001 to 2007, according to findings published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The analysis involves data on those diagnosed with malignant cancer between 1975 and 2006 and who were alive on Jan. 1, 2007. Findings were gathered from nine SEER database programs.

Results indicated that there were 11.7 million survivors in 2007, up from 9.8 million in 2001.

More than half (51%) of diagnoses were breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. Breast cancer accounted for 22.1% of diagnoses, whereas prostate and colorectal cancer comprised 19.4% and 9.5%, respectively. Overall, 54.3% of survivors were women.

Estimates indicate survival of at least 5 years among 64.8% of survivors. At the time of analysis, 59.5% of survivors were aged at least 65 years; 35.2% were aged 40 to 64 years; 4.5% were aged 20 to 39 years; and less than 1% were aged 19 years or younger. Approximately 1.1 million of the 11.7 million cancer survivors had lived with a diagnosis of cancer for at least 25 years; of those survivors, 75.4% were women.

Women breast cancer survivors aged 65 to 84 years comprised the largest group, followed by breast cancer survivors aged 40 to 64 years. The largest group of prostate cancer survivors were those aged 65 to 84 years. Melanoma, cervical and thyroid cancer survivors were more likely to be aged 40 to 64 years, and leukemia was the most frequently reported cancer among those aged 0 to 19 years.

The investigators expect the number of at least 5-year survivors and the number of survivors aged at least 65 years to increase as the US population ages and the number of survivors increases. Health care professionals are urged to be vigilant of individuals in the cancer survivor population by encouraging basic physical health, cancer screening, smoking cessation and thorough follow-up.

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