Colon cancer survival rates vary, but these statistics will give you a general idea of colon cancer survival rates for people who live in the U.S. The five-year survival rate represents the percentage of patients alive five years after their initial colon cancer diagnosis.
Five-Year Survival Statistics:
- Stage 1 Colon Cancer: 93%
- Stage 2A Colon Cancer: 85%
- Stage 2B Colon Cancer: 72%
- Stage 3A Colon Cancer: 83%
- Stage 3B Colon Cancer: 64%
- Stage 3C Colon Cancer: 44%
- Stage 4 Colon Cancer: 8%
These colorectal cancer statistics were derived from a study published in the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute. You may have noticed that the survival rate provided is higher for stage 3A colon cancer (83%) than for stage 2B colon cancer (72%). That's worth noting because survival rates generally decrease with later stage cancers. In the study, the researchers explained that the discrepancy may be due to the fact that stage 3 colon cancer patients usually receive chemotherapy but stage 2 colon cancer patients don't. Something to keep in mind.
Source: O'Connell, Jessica and Maggard, Melinda. "Colon Cancer Survival Rates With the New American Joint Committee on Cancer Sixth Edition Staging." Journal of the National Cancer Institute 96.19 (Oct. 2004): 1420-1425. 20 Aug. 2006.
