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Cancer Statistics

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SEER Stat Fact Sheets: All Sites

Cancer: --Choose a Cancer Site-- All Sites Anus Bone and Joint Brain and Other Nervous System Breast Cervix Uteri Colon and Rectum Corpus and Uterus, NOS Esophagus Eye and Orbit Kidney and Renal Pelvis Larynx Leukemia    Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia    Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia    Acute Myeloid Leukemia    Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct Lung and Bronchus Lymphoma    Hodgkin Lymphoma    Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma      B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma      T-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Myeloma Oral Cavity and Pharynx    Tongue Other Endocrine Ovary Pancreas Prostate Skin (excl. Basal and Squamous)    Melanoma of the Skin    Other Non-epithelial Skin Small Intestine Soft Tissue including Heart Stomach Testis Thyroid Urinary Bladder Vulva  

It is estimated that 1,529,560 men and women (789,620 men and 739,940 women) will be diagnosed with and 569,490 men and women will die of cancer of all sites in 2010¹X Close
Table I-1 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/ 1975_2007/results_single/ sect_01_table.01.pdf).

The following information is based on NCI’s SEER Cancer Statistics Review²X Close
All Sites Section (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/ 1975_2007/results_merged/ sect_02_all_sites.pdf)
.Use the links on this page to learn more about each statistic type:

• Incidence & Mortality
• Survival
• Lifetime Risk
• Prevalence
• References

Incidence & Mortality

SEER Incidence

From 2003-2007, the median age at diagnosis for cancer of all sites was 66 years of age³X Close
Table I-11 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/ 1975_2007/results_single/ sect_01_table.11_2pgs.pdf). Approximately 1.1% were diagnosed under age 20; 2.7% between 20 and 34; 5.7% between 35 and 44; 14.0% between 45 and 54; 22.3% between 55 and 64; 24.7% between 65 and 74; 21.8% between 75 and 84; and 7.7% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted incidence rate was 461.6 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on cases diagnosed in 2003-2007 from 17 SEER geographic areas.

US Mortality

From 2003-2007, the median age at death for cancer of all sites was 73 years of age⁴X Close
Table I-13 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/ 1975_2007/results_single/ sect_01_table.13_2pgs.pdf). Approximately 0.4% died under age 20; 0.8% between 20 and 34; 2.6% between 35 and 44; 9.0% between 45 and 54; 17.8% between 55 and 64; 24.9% between 65 and 74; 29.7% between 75 and 84; and 14.9% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted death rate was 183.8 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on patients who died in 2003-2007 in the US.

Trends in Rates

Trends in rates can be described in many ways. Information for trends over a fixed period of time, for example 1996-2007, can be evaluated by the annual percentage change (APC)X Close
The average annual percent change over several years. The APC is used to measure trends or the change in rates over time. For information on how this is calculated, go to Trend Algortihms in the SEER*Stat Help system. The calculation involves fitting a straight line to the natural logarithm of the data when it is displayed by calendar year. (See Fast Stats for trends over fixed time intervals) . If there is a negative sign before the number, the trend is a decrease; otherwise it is an increase. If there is an asterisk after the APC then the trend was significant, that is, one believes that it is beyond chance, i.e. 95% sure, that the increase or decrease is real over the period 1996-2007. If the trend is not significant, the trend is usually reported as stable or level. Joinpoint analysesX Close
A statistical model for characterizing cancer trends which uses statistical criteria to determine how many times and when the trends in incidence or mortality rates have changed. The results of joinpoint are given as calendar year ranges, and the annual percent change (APC) in the rates over each period can be used over a long period of time to evaluate when changes in the trend have occurred along with the APC which shows how much the trend has changed between each of the joinpoints.

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Survival

SurvivalX Close
Survival examines how long after diagnosis people live. Cancer survival is measured in a number of different ways depending on the intended purpose. Several examples of survival statistics are listed below. can be calculated by different methods for different purposes. The survival statistics presented here are based on relative survivalX Close
A measure of net survival that is calculated by comparing observed (overall) survival with expected survival from a comparable set of people that do not have cancer to measure the excess mortality that is associated with a cancer diagnosis., which measures the survival of the cancer patients in comparison to the general population to estimate the effect of cancer. The overall 5-year relative survival for 1999-2006 from 17 SEER geographic areas was 66.0%. Five-year relative survival by race and sex was: 66.8% for white men; 67.0% for white women; 60.6% for black men; 54.9% for black women. (See Fast Stats for more detailed statistics)

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Lifetime Risk

Based on rates from 2005-2007, 40.77% of men and women born today will be diagnosed with cancer of all sites at some time during their lifetime. This number can also be expressed as 1 in 2 men and women will be diagnosed with cancer of all sites during their lifetime. These statistics are called the lifetime riskX Close
The probability of developing cancer in the course of one's lifespan. Lifetime risk may also be discussed in terms of the probability of developing or of dying from cancer. Based on cancer rates from 2005 to 2007, it was estimated that men had about a 44 percent chance of developing cancer in their lifetimes, while women had about a 38 percent chance. of developing cancer. Sometimes it is more useful to look at the probability of developingX Close
The chance that a person will develop cancer in his/her lifetime. cancer of all sites between two age groups. For example, 20.59% of men will develop cancer of all sites between their 50th and 70th birthdays compared to 15.39% for women. (See Fast Stats for more detailed statistics, and Probability of Developing and Dying of Cancer for methodology)

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Prevalence

On January 1, 2007, in the United States there were approximately 11,713,736 men and women alive who had a history of cancer of all sites -- 5,353,054 men and 6,360,682 women. This includes any person alive on January 1, 2007 who had been diagnosed with cancer of all sites at any point prior to January 1, 2007 and includes persons with active disease and those who are cured of their disease. PrevalenceX Close
The number of people who have received a diagnosis of cancer during a defined time period, and who are alive on the last day of that period. Most prevalence data in SEER is for limited duration because information on cases diagnosed before 1973 is not generally available. can also be expressed as a percentage and it can also be calculated for a specific amount of time prior to January 1, 2007 such as diagnosed within 5 years of January 1, 2007. (See Fast Stats for more detailed statistics, and Overview of Prevalence Statistics for methodology)

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References

All statistics in this report are based on SEER incidence and NCHS mortality statistics. Most can be found within:

Altekruse SF, Kosary CL, Krapcho M, Neyman N, Aminou R, Waldron W, Ruhl J, Howlader N, Tatalovich Z, Cho H, Mariotto A, Eisner MP, Lewis DR, Cronin K, Chen HS, Feuer EJ, Stinchcomb DG, Edwards BK (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2007, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2007/, based on November 2009 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, 2010.

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