Number of cancer survivors rise: CDC report

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMar 12 2011

Latest figures show that many Americans are surviving cancer. In fact, 40 percent of cancer survivors have outlived their diagnoses by 10 years or more.

The figures come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the report said nearly 12 million Americans are cancer survivors. This is nearly four percent of the population. Even a decade ago, the survivorship score was 9.8 million people and 3.5 percent of the population. In 1971, when cancer was considered pretty much a death sentence, there was only one-fourth as many survivors, and they made up less than 2 percent of the population. Almost two-thirds of all Cancer survivors as of January 1, 2007 had been living with the disease five years or more.

The report also says that over half of current cancer survivors suffered breast, prostate or colorectal cancer. More than half are women. About 3 out of 5 are over 65. Breast cancer survivors made up the largest single group at 22 percent, followed by prostate cancer survivors at 19 percent. CDC explains this heartening trend saying that more cancers are being diagnosed earlier, and there's more effective treatment and follow-up care. In addition, more people are living into the most cancer-prone years, so more people are getting the disease — and surviving it.

“It’s good news that so many are surviving cancer and leading long, productive, and healthy lives…Preventing cancer and detecting it early remain critically important as some cancers can be prevented or detected early enough to be effectively treated,” said CDC Director Thomas Frieden.