Colon Cancer Statistics And Survival Rates!

Colon Cancer StatisticsHere’s some real good information on colon cancer statistics.

First know that colon cancer in the United States claims a third rank in the list of most common cancers diagnosed.

Almost 57,050 women will have new diagnosis of this disease compare to men (55,290).

The total deaths from his disease however are expected to be about equal in men (26,000) and women (26,180). Together with rectal cancer, colon cancer claims about 10 percent of all cancer deaths.

Good News! Over last several years the death rates from this disease have been decreasing. The reason for this is early detection and awareness. Routine screening colonoscopy is done by many people and this may be preventing many cases of colon cancer.

In U.S. the Colon Cancer Statistics for Death are as follows:

  • More than 50,000 people each year, die from colon cancer.
  • For men and women combined Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths
  • Every 9.3 minutes a colon cancer death occurs.
  • Colon cancer takes more lives than breast cancer and AIDS combined.

Survival colon cancer statistics depend on the following factors:

  • Tumor penetration through the bowel wall.
  • 5 or more lymph nodes involved.
  • Tumor adherence to adjacent organs.
  • Tumor spread to regional lymph nodes.
  • Perforation of colon.
  • Metastasis to distant organs.

All these factors put the patient in a more advanced staging category.

As discussed earlier colon cancer statistics in the United States is that it is diagnosed in men and in women. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 55,290 men and 57,050 women that are about 112,340 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed in 2007.

Colon cancer statistics reveal that is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and is expected to cause about 52,180 deaths which are approximately 26,000 men and 26,180 women during 2007.

Screening Tests are a Boom! The death rate has been dropping for the past 15 years from this disease. There are a number of likely reasons for this. One reason is early detection of polyps before forming into cancer.

Also, this disease is being found earlier when it is easier to cure, and treatments have improved. Because of this, in the United States there are around 1 million survivors of this disease.

The 5-year relative survival rate of this disease for people whose cancer is treated in an early stage survival is greater than 90%.

Once the cancer has spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes, colon cancer at its advanced stage the 5-year relative survival rate goes down, and if cancer has spread to distant organs like the liver or lung the 5-year survival is less than 10%.

The percentage of patients who live at least 5 years after their cancer is diagnosed is what is called the 5-year survival rate. Many of these patients live much longer than 5 years after diagnosis. But the 5-year survival rate is a standard way of discussing prognosis.