Cancer Survivorship
Survivorship Supportive Care Information for Patients and Health Professionals
Overview
NCI research on cancer survivorship focuses on questions addressing the health, function and quality of life of a person with a history of cancer once active treatment ends. Issues related to the follow-up care for and health behaviors of survivors as well as the well-being of their family members and caregivers are also addressed. More and more people are benefiting from the early detection of cancer and its successful treatment. While medical advances are improving both quality of life and length of survival, permitting many survivors to continue full and productive lives at home and at work, evidence suggests that there are "costs" to these advances. As a consequence of their illness, many survivors deal with psychosocial issues that affect their school and work performance, finances, sexual health, and self-identity. Along with impressive gains in cancer survival may also come "late effects," side effects of cancer treatment that only become apparent in the long term, months or even years later. These can include increased risk of second cancers, cardiac dysfunction, lymphedema, loss of fertility, learning impairments, and amputations that compromise mobility.
- There are an estimated 10.8 million cancer survivors in the United States as of January 1, 2004, approximately 3.6 percent of the total population.
- 55 percent (5.9 million) of these survivors are female.
- More than two-thirds of people diagnosed with cancer can expect to live for five years or longer.
- Approximately 14 percent of cancer survivors were diagnosed over 20 years ago.
- For children diagnosed with cancer, five-year overall survival exceeds 75 percent.
Statistics
Cancer statistics related to cancer survivorship.
Estimated Number of Female Cancer Survivors in the U.S. by Site.
(Invasive/1st Primary Cases Only, N = 5.9 million)
*Hematologic cancers include Leukemia, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and Hodgkins Lymphoma
Data source: 2006 Submission. U.S. estimated cancer prevalence counts were estimated by applying U.S. populations to SEER 9 and historical Connecticut Limited Duration Prevalence proportions and adjusted to represent complete prevalence. Populations from January 2004 were based on the average of 2003 and 2004 population estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
- U.S. Prevalence Estimates — NCI Office of Cancer Survivorship (Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences)
- The SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2004
- Cancer Trends Progress Report — 2005 Update: Survivorship
- SEER Survival Statistics
- Cancer Survival Statistics (Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences)
- Cancer Query System — Cancer Prevalence Data (Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences)
NCI Research on Cancer Survivorship
Information about NCI-funded grants, clinical trials, and other programs and initiatives with components that target cancer survivorship issues.
- Cancer Survivorship Active Grant Research Portfolio (Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences)
- NCI Office of Cancer Survivorship (Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences)
- Survivorship Activities at Cancer Centers (NCI, 2006)
Cancer Survivorship Plans and Reports
Reports on cancer survivorship.
- Monograph: New Malignancies Among Cancer Survivors: SEER Cancer Registries, 1973-2000 (August 2006)
- Part II Living Beyond Cancer Finding a New Balance — President's Cancer Panel Annual Report 2005-2006: Assessing Progress Advancing Change
- Implementing Cancer Survivorship Care Planning: Workshop Summary (IOM, 2006)
- Cancer Trends Progress Report — 2005 Update: Survivorship
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences: Overview and Highlights 2005: Survivorship
- From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition — Institute of Medicine Report (2005)
- National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship (CDC, 2004)
- Childhood Cancer Survivorship: Improving Care and Quality of Life — Institute of Medicine Report (2003)
- NIH State-of-the-Science Conference on Symptom Management in Cancer: Pain, Depression, and Fatigue (NIH, 2002)