• Question: What is the survival rate of breast cancer?

    Asked by to Amar, Andrea, Leah, Matt on 19 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Matthew Lam

      Matthew Lam answered on 19 Mar 2014:

      Survival rates are fairly good for breast cancer. About 95% of patients will survive one year after their diagnosis and 85% will survive 5 years after their diagnosis.

      Usually, the longer you live free of breast cancer after treatment, the more likely you are to survive.

    • Photo: Andrea Hanvey

      Andrea Hanvey answered on 19 Mar 2014:

      breast cancer surviva rates are increasing, but aound 95% of women are expected to survive for at least one year, this drops to 85% surviving five years or more

    • Photo: Leah Fitzsimmons

      Leah Fitzsimmons answered on 19 Mar 2014:

      Overall, the chance of someone surviving breast cancer is now about 85%, however the chance of an individual surviving any cancer depends on which type they have and how much the cancer has progressed by the time it is diagnosed.

      Even within breast cancer there are several sub-types – one type is known to express a very high level of a protein which makes cells grow, called HER2. People with this type have a very good chance of survival because there are drugs (like Tamoxifen) than can stop HER2 working.

      Also, the earlier breast cancer is detected the better chance someone has of surviving. This is why women are screened so that doctors can check for early signs of cancer. Breast cancer screening has probably helped to increase the number of people who survive breast cancer by about 20%, although it is hard to tell exactly because treatments have also improved.

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