Welcome back to Twins4Wellness in this blog post I have compiled the survival rates for breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed disease in women. It affects one in eight women over their lifetimes. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, one thing I needed to know was the survival rate for my diagnosis.

I have a young son and I was worried about not being here to watch him grow up. Therefore, I did quite a bit of research to find out what my survival rate was. There are many factors that contribute to survival rates such as age, stage, overall health, and how well the cancer responds to treatment.

I compiled the data I found in this blog post so you don’t have to search all over the web.

American Cancer Society-Breast Cancer Survival rate

According to the American Cancer Society, there are three groups of breast cancer survival groups: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/breast-cancer-survival-rates.html

1. Localized: This is when the cancer is confined to the breast and there is no sign the cancer has spread outside the breast.
2. Regional: This is when the cancer has spread outside the breast to lymph nodes.
3. Distant: The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body. 

The following numbers are 5-year survival rates in breast cancers with hormone-positive receptors and/or HER-positive receptors:

• Localized: 99%

• Regional: 86%

• Distant: 30%

Women who have Triple Negative Breast Cancer have a different 5-year cancer survival rate:

• Localized: 91%
• Regional: 66%
• Distant: 12%

The rarest form of Breast cancer is Inflammatory Breast Cancer and it also has a different 5-year breast cancer survival rate:

• Regional: 52%
• Distant: 19%

These numbers are from 2012-2018, 5 years ago. The American Cancer Society says that women may have even better outlooks now due to better chemotherapy drugs and better overall treatments.

The survival rates also do not take everything into account. A person’s age and overall health can influence survival rate. They are only based on how the cancer has spread and not: age, overall health, how well the treatment works, tumor grade, the presence of hormone receptors, and HER2 status.

Web MD 

Another good source for Breast Cancer survival rates is Web MD. https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-survival-rates Web MD has information about the different stages of Breast Cancer and their Survival rates. The following are 5-year survival rates based on the different stages. 

• Localized: Stage: IA, Some IIA, and Some IIB: 99%
• Regional: Stage IB, Some IIA, Some IIB, and Stage III: 86%
• Distant: Stave IV: 28%

Relative Survival Rate by Age:

• Women younger than 45: 88%
• Ages 45-54: 91%
• Ages 55-64: 91%
• Ages 65-74: 92%
• Women 75 or older: 86%

Another way to look at Breast Cancer Survival rates is to look at age and stage of the cancer.

• Localized breast cancer younger than 50: 97%
• Localized breast cancer 50 and up: 99%
• Regional breast cancer younger than 50: 87%
• Regional breast cancer is 50 and up: 85%
• Distant breast cancer younger than 50: 38%
• Distant breast cancer 50 and up: 26%

I know looking at survival rates can be a scary thing, but just remember that every person responds to treatment differently. Age and health will have an effect on survival rate. I hope you find this post helpful. If you have a Breast Cancer story to tell, leave a comment below.

Disclaimer:

The information provided on this blog is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.