For many men and women struggling with the daily grind of breast cancer treatments, simply knowing their chance of survival is motivation enough for sticking to the plan.
The survival rates associated with breast cancer can be eye-opening and even life-changing for someone diagnosed with the disease.
It is important to realize that these statistics are just that — statistics. If you’re told you have a certain percentage of a chance to overcome your breast cancer, that doesn’t serve as an automatic. Taking the approach of trusting your physician’s plan of action and leaning on your family, friends and faith can be an effective plan –— no matter what percentage chance you are given.
It’s Your Choice
Survival rates can be helpful for physicians trying to explain diagnoses and treatment options. Some patients with breast cancer may want to know their survival statistics while others may choose to go without hearing them.
We have listed the survival rates for all five stages of cancer below, so feel free to skip it if knowing about them would be discouraging to you.
How Rates Are Determined
Survival rates are based on previous outcomes of large numbers of people. Again, they are not predictors of what will happen in a particular case.
Age, health, the presence of hormone receptors on the cancer cells and the treatment received all play into a person overcoming breast cancer.
In order to get five-year survival rates, doctors study patients who were treated at the beginning of that period. Rapid improvements in treatment since then may result in a more favorable outlook for people now being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Survival Rates
Below are the various stages of breast cancer and their associated five-year relative survival rates, according to the American Cancer Society.
Stage 0: 100 percent survival rate
Stage I: 100 percent survival rate
Stage II: 93 percent survival rate
Stage III: 72 percent survival rate
Stage IV: 22 percent survival rate