What is the survival rate for colon cancer?

The survival rate for colon cancer depends on a variety of factors, including the stage at diagnosis, type of treatment received and overall health status. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for all stages of colon cancer is 64%.

For cancers diagnosed in early stages (I or II), the five-year survival rates average about 90%. For those with regional spread (stage III) the average survival rate is 70%-80%, while for those with distant metastasis (stage IV) it drops to 14%. The difference reflects both differences in therapies and subtle differences between patients in how their biologic makeup affects how well they survive despite aggressive treatments.

As we come closer to personalizing therapies for individuals based upon their genetic profiles, these numbers are likely to change as some people respond better than others due to their underlying biology which cannot be anticipated just by looking at size and location of tumors on CT scans or other imaging techniques. Additionally, changes in lifestyle such as quitting smoking can help improve outcomes. In addition, newer forms of immuno?oncology therapies are showing promise when used alone or combined with currently available chemotherapies.  Overall it's important that everyone take an active role in getting preventive screenings done regularly so that any cases found may have a better chance at being treated successfully.