Survival statistics for breast cancer
Survival statistics for breast 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.
Like most scientific information, survival statistics are currently collected and analyzed on a male/female or men/women binary. We need more research to determine the survival statistics for breast cancer for transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people.
There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your doctor can explain the statistics for breast cancer and what they mean to you.
Net survival
Net survival represents the probability (chance) 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 breast cancer in women is 89%. This means that, on average, about 89% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will live for at least 5 years.
Survival by stage
Survival varies with each stage of breast cancer. Generally, the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome.
In Canada, survival by stage for breast cancer is reported as 5-year net survival for women and men.
|
Stage |
5-year net survival
for women |
5-year net survival for men |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
100% |
95% |
|
2 |
92% |
87% |
|
3 |
74% | 66% |
|
4 |
23% |
23% |
| stage unknown | 55% | no reliable statistics |
Questions about survival
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, such as the tumour grade
- 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.