What are my chances?

As cancer treatments improve, the outlook for many diagnoses has increased substantially compared to decades past. However, prognosis varies greatly based on specific cancer type, stage at diagnosis, access to treatment, and other factors. Below is a more in-depth look at 5-year relative survival rates from the American Cancer Society for the most common cancers:

5-Year Relative Survival Rates

Breast Cancer

  • Localized breast cancer confined to the breast has a 5-year relative survival rate exceeding 99%. This represents 61% of cases caught at stage I.

  • Regional spread to nearby lymph nodes or tissues drops 5-year survival to 86%. This accounts for 32% found at stage II/III.

  • Metastatic breast cancer distantly spread has only a 28% 5-year survival. This represents 6% diagnosed at stage IV.

Melanoma

  • Localized melanoma has over a 98% 5-year survival. This accounts for 84% of melanomas diagnosed early at stage I/II.

  • With regional spread to nearby skin, lymph nodes or tissues, survival declines to 63%. This represents 13% found at stage III.

  • Once distant metastatic melanoma develops, survival drops to 26%. Just 3% are metastatic at stage IV.

Leukemia

  • For acute myeloid leukemia (AML), overall 5-year relative survival is 29%. But for younger patients under age 45, 5-year survival reaches 54%. Outcomes vary widely by genetic subtype.

  • For acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), overall 5-year survival is 71%. In children with ALL, 5-year survival approaches 90% with modern chemotherapy regimens.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

  • Localized NHL confined to a lymph node or organ has an 82% 5-year relative survival rate. This represents 45% detected at stage I.

  • With spread to adjacent lymph nodes/structures survival is 77%. 37% are found at stage II.

  • Advanced stage III-IV NHL with extensive nodal or organ involvement has a 62% 5-year survival. This accounts for 18% diagnosed at advanced stage.

Kidney Cancer

  • Localized kidney cancer confined to the kidney has a 92% 5-year survival. This represents 63% found at stage I.

  • Regional spread to nearby tissue/nodes drops survival to 66%. 27% are diagnosed at stage II/III.

  • Metastatic kidney cancer has a 12% 5-year survival rate. 10% are stage IV at diagnosis.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

  • Early stage CLL (Rai stage 0) has a 5-year relative survival rate of 95%. This represents 43% of CLL cases caught early.

  • Intermediate stage I-II CLL has an 82% 5-year survival. This accounts for 37% of cases.

  • Advanced stage III-IV CLL has a 64% 5-year survival rate, given extensive disease involvement. 20% are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

New immunotherapies and combinations continue to incrementally improve long-term survival rates across stages of multiple myeloma.

Prognosis depends heavily on specific cancer factors. But ongoing advances in early detection, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and personalized approaches continue to shift these statistics in a positive direction for many diagnoses.

Lung Cancer

  • Localized lung cancer has a 59% 5-year survival, but this is just 16% of lung cancers caught very early at stage I.

  • If spread to nearby lymph nodes, survival drops to 33%. This includes 24% of patients diagnosed at stage II/III.

  • Distant metastatic lung cancer survival is only 5%. Unfortunately 60% of lung cancers are stage IV when diagnosed.

Pancreatic Cancer

  • Localized pancreatic cancer confined to the pancreas has a 5-year survival of 39%. But this is just 11% of pancreatic cancers caught at stage I.

  • With regional spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes, survival declines to 14%. This accounts for 7% found at stage II/III.

  • Distant metastatic pancreatic cancer has a 3% 5-year survival rate. Unfortunately 82% are metastatic at stage IV when found.

Prostate Cancer

  • Localized prostate cancer has close to a 100% 5-year relative survival rate. This accounts for 43% detected early at stage I.

  • Regional spread to nearby areas drops survival to 100%. This represents 13% found at stage II/III.

  • Metastatic prostate cancer's 5-year survival is 30%. But only 5% of prostate cancers are distant stage IV at diagnosis.

Bladder Cancer

  • Localized bladder cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 70-80%. This represents 75% detected early at stage I.

  • Regional muscle-invasive disease survival declines to 35%. This accounts for 7% found at stage II/III.

  • Distant metastatic bladder cancer's 5-year survival is just 5%. Advanced stage is 18% at diagnosis.

Uterine

  • Localized uterine cancer limited to the uterus has a 96% 5-year survival. Represents 68% detected early at stage I.

  • With regional nodal spread, survival declines to 68%. This accounts for 13% found at stage III.

  • Distant metastatic uterine cancer survival is 17%. 14% are diagnosed once distantly spread at stage IV.

Multiple Myeloma

  • Very early stage myeloma with monoclonal protein detection only has an 82% 5-year relative survival rate. This represents 4% of cases.

  • Localized myeloma confined to the bone marrow has a 62% 5-year survival. This is 18% of myeloma cases.

  • With spread to multiple bone sites, survival is 50%. Most patients (64%) are diagnosed at this stage.

  • Advanced distant metastatic myeloma has only a 14% 5-year survival rate. This represents 14% of patients.