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Photos of a man and two women  Cancer Survivorship
Creating and implementing successful strategies to help the millions of people who live with, through, and beyond cancer remain the overarching goals of survivorship efforts.
Highlights
 Cancer Survivorship — United States, 1971-2001 Featured Science!
 Survive Cancer and Live Brochure
 A National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship: Advancing Public Health Strategies

 Cancer Survivorship — United States, 1971-2001 Featured Science!
Rowland J, Mariotto A, Aziz N, Tesauro G, Feuer EJ, Blackman D, Thompson P, Pollack LA. Cancer Survivorship — United States, 1971–2001. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 2004;53(24):526–529.

Earlier diagnosis through screening, more effective treatment, preventing secondary disease and recurrence, as well as, decreases in mortality from other causes have led to an increasing number of people surviving for longer periods following a diagnosis of cancer. According to this report
  • There were 9.8 million cancer survivors in the United States in 2001.*
  • The number of cancer survivors is expected to increase as population ages and cancer detection and treatment improve.
  • Most (61%) of cancer survivors are aged 65 years or older; it is estimated 1 of 6 people over the age of 65 is living with a history of cancer.

*The 1971 number is not comparable unless we use the percentage of the population because the U.S. population has increased during the past 30 years.

Also available online is the Press Release and the President's Cancer Panel Reports and Statements, Living Beyond Cancer: Finding A New Balance (PDF–3M), for Adobe Acrobat Reader.


 Survive Cancer and Live Brochure
CDC's Cancer Survivorship: Survive Cancer and Live brochure defines cancer survivorship and highlights the importance of improving the quality of life for cancer survivors. The brochure discusses how CDC is addressing cancer survivorship and summarizes the 23 recommended priority needs identified during the development of the National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship.

 A National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship: Advancing Public Health Strategies
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and nearly 100 experts in cancer survivorship and public health have partnered to identify and prioritize cancer survivorship needs and to propose strategies for comprehensively addressing those needs within the public health infrastructure. A National Action Plan for Cancer Survivorship: Advancing Public Health Strategies charts a course for how the public health community can more effectively and comprehensively address cancer survivorship and focus on improving the quality of life for survivors.
HHS, CDC and LAF logos

Cancer Survivors
Cancer survivors are people who have been diagnosed with cancer and those in their lives who are affected by the diagnosis, including family members, friends, and caregivers.




 Quick Links
  Survive Cancer and Live Brochure
  Order/Download the National Action Plan

Cancer Burden

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More people diagnosed with cancer are surviving each year

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62% of cancer survivors are expected to live at least 5 years after diagnosis

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There were approximately 9.6 million cancer survivors in the United States in January 2000



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Page last reviewed: Friday, October 29, 2004

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Cancer Prevention and Control