Survival statistics for cervical cancer

Survival statistics for cervical cancer are very general estimates and must be interpreted very carefully. Because these statistics are based on the experience of groups of people, they cannot be used to predict a particular person’s chances of survival.

There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your doctor can explain the statistics for cervical cancer and what they mean to you.

Net survival represents the probability of surviving cancer in the absence of other causes of death. It is used to give an estimate of the percentage of people who will survive their cancer.

In Canada, the 5-year net survival for cervical cancer is 74%. This means that about 74% of women diagnosed with cervical cancer will survive for at least 5 years.

Survival varies with each stage of cervical cancer. Generally, the earlier cervical cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome.

The 5-year survival rate is the percentage of people who are alive at least 5 years after their cancer diagnosis. But women with this type of cancer may live much longer than 5 years.

There are no specific Canadian statistics available for the different stages of cervical cancer. The following information comes from a variety of sources. It may include statistics from other countries that are likely to have similar outcomes as in Canada.

Talk to your doctor about your prognosis. A prognosis depends on many factors, including:

• your health history
• the type of cancer
• the stage
• certain characteristics of the cancer
• the treatments chosen
• how the cancer responds to treatment

Only a doctor familiar with these factors can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.