Basic Information

An increasing number of people are surviving cancer diagnoses. As the population of cancer survivors grows, the public health community is considering ways to address the issues related to survivorship. Survivorship is a broad term that refers not only to people who have been diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, but also to the friends and family members of people who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Cancer and Survivorship

Because of advances in the early detection and treatment of cancer, individuals are living many years after a diagnosis. As of January 2002, there were approximately 10.1 million cancer survivors in the United States. Today, approximately 65% of people diagnosed with cancer are expected to live at least 5 years after diagnosis.

During diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment, cancer survivors face physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and financial issues-issues that are of concern to public health professionals.

For example, because of genetic predispositions, common lifestyle factors, and the effects of cancer treatments, cancer survivors are at increased risk for certain health problems after diagnosis and treatment. In light of these concerns, public health initiatives that strive to understand and prevent secondary disease and recurrence, and to improve survivors' quality of life, are essential.

Risk Factors

• Age is a primary risk factor for most cancers. In fact, approximately 56.5% of all cancers are diagnosed among individuals aged 65 years or older.
• Smoking is a preventable risk factor for cancer recurrence and second cancers. Smoking also contributes to primary cancers.
• Obesity may be related to poorer survival for women diagnosed with breast cancer and to a poor prognosis following a prostate cancer diagnosis.
• Low-income men and women who have inadequate or no health insurance coverage are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at later stages, when survival times are shorter.

Screening

Cancer survivors are at greater risk for recurrence and for developing second cancers, because of the effects of treatment, continued lifestyle behaviors, underlying genetics, or risk factors that contributed to the first cancer. Although screening guidelines are not available for all cancers, survivors should discuss with their doctors at the end of treatment the appropriate schedule for screening, as well as the types of screening needed. Survivors also should decide who will be responsible for monitoring this screening schedule long-term.

*U.S. 2002 cancer prevalence counts are based on 2002 cancer prevalence proportions from the SEER 9 registries and 1/1/2002 U.S. population estimates based on the average of 2001 and 2002 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau

Source: Ries LAG, Eisner MP, Kosary CL, Hankey BF, Miller BA, Clegg L, et al. (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2002. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2005.

References

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