Available Cancer Prevalence Statistics
Pre-calculated prevalence statistics are available from the following sources:
Types of Prevalence Estimates
The most recent estimates provided by SEER are for January 1,
2005 prevalence.
- Complete US prevalence estimated counts.
- The US prevalence counts were estimated by applying SEER limited-duration prevalence proportions
to the US populations and adjusting the limited-duration counts to account for survivors diagnosed prior to 1975,
using the completeness index method. To account for demographic differences between the US and SEER, US counts were
calculated as follows:
- Age at Prevalence - All Ages was obtained
by summing the 19 individual age groups.
- Sex - Both Sexes was obtained by summing
Male and Female.
- Race/Ethnicity - All Races was obtained
by summing White and Unknown, Black, and Other. Total Hispanics
was obtained by summing the Non-white Hispanic and Other
(White and Unknown) Hispanic.
- Limited-duration prevalence estimates (percents and counts).
- Limited-duration prevalence estimates were calculated using the counting
method using SEER data. Because the number of registries that participate
with SEER has changed over the years, different limited-duration prevalence statistics were calculated for different
groups of SEER registries.
- SEER 9 limited-duration prevalence percentages
for race (All races, Whites, Blacks). This includes 30-year
limited-duration prevalence, as well as partitioned into
prevalence estimates for people diagnosed 0 to < 5, 5
to < 10, 10 to < 15, 15 to < 20, 20 to < 25, and 25 to < 30
years prior to January 1, 2005.
- SEER 11 and Rural Georgia prevalence
percentages by race (All races, Whites, Blacks, Asian/Pacific
Islanders). 15-year limited-duration prevalence, as well
as partitioned into prevalence estimates for people diagnosed
0 to < 5, 5 to < 10, and 10 to <15 years prior to January 1, 2005.
- SEER 11 and Rural Georgia prevalence percentages for Hispanics by race (Total
Hispanic, White Hispanic). 13-year limited-duration prevalence,
as well as partitioned into prevalence estimates for people
diagnosed 0 to < 5, 5 to < 10, and 10 to <15 years prior to January 1, 2005.
- US limited-duration prevalence counts are
available from SEER 9 prevalence percentages (All Races,
Whites, Blacks), SEER 13 excluding Alaska (Asian/Pacific
Islanders), SEER 13 excluding Alaska
(Total Hispanic, White Hispanic).
The standard method used to calculate limited-duration prevalence
is First Malignant Tumor
Ever. The advantage of identifying cancer survivors by only
their first malignant tumor is that we only count each person
once. Other methods of tumor inclusion are First Malignant Tumor
per Site in the Last x Years, and First Malignant Tumors per
Site and Years of Diagnosis. Prevalence statistics for different
tumor inclusion criteria are available at Table
I-17 of the
Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2005 (PDF).
Limitations for using cancer registry data to estimate prevalence
- SEER prevalence proportions may not be representative of US prevalence. Projecting race- and age-specific
SEER prevalence proportions to the US population does not account for other differences between SEER and US, such
as socioeconomic status, that may affect prevalence proportions.
- Immigration and emigration of cancer patients may cause biases in the estimation of prevalence.
Cancer registries only include cancers which were diagnosed while the person was in residence in the registry catchment
area. If a person is diagnosed with cancer in a registry area and then moves, follow-up for vital status (i.e. dead,
alive) is tracked no matter where they move. For example:
- If a person moved into a registry area with a prior diagnosis of cancer, this cancer would not be included
in the registry, but should be included in the prevalence statistics.
- If a person with cancer moved out of a registry area they would be included in the registry, but should not
be included in the prevalence estimates.
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