Cancer survivors in U.S. increase to almost 12 million

[News_Editor]

Cancer survivors in U.S. increase to almost 12 million

2011-03-11 07:01:54 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007, according to a report released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

According to the study, of the 11.7 million people living with cancer in 2007, 7 million were ages 65 years or older; women make up a large proportion of cancer survivors (54 percent); breast cancer survivors are the largest group of cancer survivors (22 percent), followed by prostate cancer survivors (19 percent) and colorectal cancer survivors (10 percent); and among all survivors, 4.7 million received their diagnosis 10 or more years earlier.

"Preventing cancer and detecting it early remain critically important as some cancers can be prevented or detected early enough to be effectively treated. Not smoking, getting regular physical activity, eating healthy foods, and limiting alcohol use can reduce the risk of many cancers," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.

The authors note that the increase in number of cancer survivors is due to many factors, including a growing aging population, early detection, improved diagnostic methods, more effective treatment, and improved clinical follow-up after treatment.

To determine the number of survivors, the authors of the study, "Cancer Survivors in the United States, 2007," which was published on Thursday in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, analyzed the number of new cases and follow-up data from NCI's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program between 1971 and 2007.

In addition, population data from the 2006 and 2007 United States Census were also included. The researchers estimated the number of persons ever diagnosed with cancer who were alive on January 1, 2007 (except non-melanoma skin cancers, which are fairly common and rarely fatal).

"As the number of cancer survivors continues to increase, it is important for medical and public health professionals to be knowledgeable of issues survivors may face, especially the long-term effects of treatment on their physical and psychosocial well-being," said Arica White, Ph.D., M.P.H., an epidemic intelligence service officer in CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control.

"This understanding is critical in promoting good health and coordinating comprehensive care for cancer survivors."

In 1971, there were 3 million cancer survivors and 9.8 million in 2001.

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