A new milestone in the cancer fight: 7 in 10 patients now survive five-plus years
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- The U.S. has achieved a milestone with seven in 10 cancer patients now surviving five years or more after diagnosis, a significant increase from 50% in the 1970s and 63% in the mid-1990s, according to the American Cancer Society's latest report.
- Advances in treatments such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy have transformed many cancers into manageable chronic diseases, contributing to an estimated 4.8 million cancer deaths prevented from 1991 to 2023.
- Despite progress, challenges remain including rising colorectal and breast cancer rates linked to obesity, disparities in cancer outcomes among people of color, and concerns over reduced cancer research funding and access to care following policy changes.
- The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted cancer
