Changes in cancer survival rates have caused concern to many, especially over the past four decades. Different industries and medical advances have significantly improved survival rates for many cancers, but there are still some cancers where progress is slower. Understanding this data is critical for patients and their families.
With the joint efforts of society, medicine and technology, the overall cancer mortality rate has dropped significantly. This has given hope to many cancers that were difficult to treat in the past.
According to statistics, in the United States, the five-year relative survival rate for cancer increased from 48.9% between 1975-1977 to 69.2% between 2007-2013. This period was also a period when cancer mortality rates decreased, demonstrating the importance of advances in medical technology in improving patients' chances of survival.
The survival rate of lung cancer is closely related to the smoking rate. Research shows that lung cancer deaths due to tobacco use have decreased over the past 50 years, accounting for an estimated 40% of overall cancer mortality. Because of this, lung cancer-related mortality among men improved significantly between 1991 and 2003.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. With improvements in diagnostic technology and treatment, breast cancer mortality has dropped significantly. Increased use of adjuvant chemotherapy also contributed to improved survival, the study found.
The five-year relative survival rate of prostate cancer increased from 69% in the 1970s to 100% in 2006. This remarkable progress is due to the spread of screening and early diagnosis, allowing patients to receive treatment before the cancer has advanced to the fatal stage.
For children, the most common type of cancer is leukemia, and survival rates have improved over the past few decades. In particular, the five-year survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia increased from less than 10% in the 1960s to approximately 90% between 2003 and 2009.
Advances in cancer treatment have also contributed to improved survival rates. Currently, in addition to surgery, new treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy are gradually becoming mainstream. Access to clinical trials has also helped develop targeted treatments for more than 26 different cancers, with more than 100 targeted therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
While survival rates for many cancers have improved dramatically over the past four decades, some tumors still face challenges. Will future cancer treatments continue to break through existing limitations and further improve people's chances of survival?