II/8. Statistics: Know Your Odds
You are not a number; if alive, you are a survivor.
The most important cancer statistic is that about half of all those now diagnosed with cancer will be cured and die of something else. Most of the others will live for a long time before finally dying of the disease. So, only a minority of people who get cancer will die of it soon. There are still some rapidly-fatal cancers; yet, every patient and member of the cancer community deserves to maintain an optimistic attitude. Science is making rapid progress in finding new treatments and cures. Every year there are positive surprises, breakthroughs and even miracles. Every individual cancer is a unique situation, with many variables, and dealing with each of those is more important than broad cancer statistics in determining the outcome.
––John Roberts
Leading Causes of Death, per 100,000 USA, 2006
––National Center for Health Statistics/The Washington Post
1. Heart Disease
210.29. Kidney Disease15
2. Cancer187.110. Blood Infection11.4
3. Stroke 45.811. Suicide10.7
4. Lung Disease 41.612. Liver Disease 9.1
5. Accidents 39.3 13. Blood Pressure 8
6. Alzheimer’s 24.414. Parkinson’s 6.6
7. Diabetes 24.215. Murder 6
8. Flu, Pneumonia 18.8
Ten percent of men who are started on hormonal therapy when they have [prostate cancer] metastases to bone live less than six months. Ten percent live longer than ten years. The other 80 percent fall somewhere in the middle. Statistics have shown that half of these men live three years or fewer, and 25 percent are alive after five years.
––Patrick Walsh, M.D., Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer, 2007
(The author is included in the statistical group above, in his third year since beginning treatment; next goal is to beat the averages by being among the 50% who are still alive after three years.)
Cancer In the United States
•Every individual cancer is a unique situation, with many variables, and dealing with those is more important than broad cancer statistics in determining the outcome.
•If Americans ate a healthy, balanced diet emphasizing the vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans that help maintain a healthful weight, as many as one-third of all cancer deaths in the US could be prevented. (ACS)
•People who have a poor diet, do not have enough physical activity, or are overweight may be at increased risk of several types of cancer. For example, studies suggest that people whose diet is high in fat have an increased risk of cancers of the colon, uterus, and prostate. Lack of physical activity and being overweight are risk factors for cancers of the breast, colon, esophagus, kidney, and uterus. (MedicineNet.com)
•The more a person consumes alcohol, the higher his or her risk of getting certain cancers. Combining tobacco with alcohol drives the risk even higher. (ACS)
•10 million Americans now live with a cancer diagnosis. That is only 3% of the population. 40% of those diagnosed will survive beyond five years; this is double the rate 70 years ago.
•2.4 million Americans die every year of all causes. Approximately 550,000 people die every year of cancer. The most common cause is lung cancer.
•So, about one quarter of all American deaths are from cancer. That is 1500 per day, over 60 per hour or about one every minute.
•Skin cancer is the most common form. Of all other cancers, prostate cancer (men) and breast cancer (women) is most common.
•Cancer is the second largest cause of death, after heart disease.
•Approximately 1.4 million new cases of invasive cancer will be diagnosed each year.
•About half of all men and a third of all women will have cancer at some time in their life.
•Approximately 70-80% of all people die in hospitals or long-term care facilities. Dying at home is no longer common.
•Although there are more than 100 different forms of cancer, more than 80% of cases involve just 14 types of cancers.
•Only 10% of cancer deaths are from original tumors. 90% are from cancer that has spread to other areas.
•40% of cancer can be prevented (by a healthy diet, physical activity and not using tobacco).
•In general, earlier detection, improved health and the rapid advances of medical research are reducing the percentages, although the totals may increase due simply to population increase. On the other hand, the advance of civilization (fast food, air pollution, etc.) increases the risk.
•The risk of prostate cancer increases with age:
451 in 2500
551 in 120
651 in 21
•About 230,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. About 30,000 die each year, although many of those have had the disease for many years.
•Breast cancer strikes about 200,000 women a year and kills about 40,000 in the U.S. As much as 10% of women who are diagnosed with cancer in one breast are expected to eventually develop it in the other over the next ten years.
•About one in every 100 breast cancer cases is a male. Men should perform a self-examination regularly, just like women. Men should not avoid this or frank discussion.
Cancer Worldwide
•Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. From a total of 58 million deaths worldwide in 2005, cancer accounts for 7.6 million (or 13%) of all deaths. The main types of cancer leading to overall cancer mortality are:
•lung (1.3 million deaths/year);
•Stomach (almost 1 million deaths/year);
•Liver (662,000 deaths/year);
•Colon (655,000 deaths/year) and
•Breast (502,000 deaths/year).
•Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world. Tobacco use causes cancer of the lung, throat, mouth, pancreas, bladder, stomach, liver, kidney and other types; Environmental tobacco smoke (passive smoking) causes lung cancer.
•More than 70% of all cancer deaths in 2005 occurred in low and middle income countries. Deaths from cancer in the world are projected to continue rising, with an estimated 9 million people dying from cancer in 2015 and 11.4 million dying in 2030.
•The most frequent cancer types world wide are: Among men (in order of number of global deaths): lung, stomach, liver, colorectal, esophagus and prostate. Among women (in order of number of global deaths): breast, lung, stomach, colorectal and cervical.
WHO World Health Organization
ACS American Cancer Society
