Understanding Cancer Survival Statistics and What They Mean For Your Prognosis

One of the first things that a patient diagnosedthat you will achieve a remission. What it cannot
with cancer does is find out the cancer survivalpredict is how proactive you will be in searching
rates for their cancer. Whilst this in itself is notout new treatments, how much you will be
necessarily a bad thing. It is only part of theprepared to change your diet and eat food less
story, any cancer patient has to learn how tolikely to cause cancer. It cannot tell you how
survive the cancer statistics rather than learn howserious your condition is compared to your
to survive the cancer. It is a normal humanindividual self it can only make a comparison
reaction to want to know whether or not youracross the national average.
type of cancer is typically easier to cure whenWhat cancer survival treatment can show is how
compared to other types. However it is notmost people with your type of cancer respond to
necessarily helpful because your doctor can onlytreatment. Armed with this information you can
predict the future based on a national averagework out a treatment plan and work out the pros
which is by knows means your future.and cons of each and every option individually. No
The survival rates for cancer can be terrifyingone can tell you whether or not you should treat
and misleading as well as downright depressing. Ityour treat your treatment aggressively or not,
is easy to see why some people give up and dobut they can help you make up your mind as to
not get their full treatment options explained;what is likely to happen to the general population
therefore they cannot utilize their full range ofat large if you don't.
options. It is one of life's constant ironies that at aOne of the most important factors to take into
time when you are at your lowest ebb you haveaccount when you are looking at five year
to be extremely positive.remission statistics is the fact that they are five
Not all cancer survival statistics are frighteningyears out of date. They cannot reflect new
some are extremely heartening. For instance thebreakthroughs and types of treatment in the last
five year survival rate for prostate cancer isfive years, and ten year studies are even more
ninety eight percent. Which in effect it means isout of date. Even taking into account those
that out of every hundred people who contractfactors they cannot help you to decide on your
prostate cancer, at whatever age and whatevercourse of treatment because you have to take
stage of the cancer ninety eight of those will beinto account your individual lifestyle. To put those
alive and well five years later and two will bestatistics into any sort of meaningful way you
dead.need to approach your doctor and have them
Lung cancer has some frightening figures andexplained to you in the light of your situation.
they include the fact that once lung cancer hasHow you view those statistics will have a bearing
metastasized or spread to the rest of the body,on your personal outcome regarding cancer
only three out of every hundred people or threestatistics. For instance some people will see a
percent are likely to be alive five years later.seventy percent survival rate over five years as
What it does not tell you is the fact that thea very positive figure and others will see that as
majority of diagnosed lung cancer are in a latefrightening because it means that one in three
stage, nor does it tell you that your lifestyle haspeople will die. One of the first things you have to
an impact and you can reduce the risk of lungdo regarding cancer survival statistics is how
cancer by stopping smoking.much credence you personally are going to give
Cancer survival statistics can only give both youthem.
and your doctor a general idea; of how likely it is