Chances for survival vary by stage of breast cancer.
Non-invasive (stage 0) and early stage invasive breast cancers (stages I and II) have a better prognosis than later stage cancers (stage III and IV). And, cancer that has not spread beyond the breast has a better prognosis than cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes. The poorest prognosis is for metastatic breast cancer (stage IV), where the cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes to other parts of the body.
Overall survival rates
Figure 4.8 below shows estimates of five-year overall survival rates by breast cancer stage. Five-year overall survival is the percentage of women with breast cancer who live (survive) five years beyond their diagnosis. For example, about 88 percent of women diagnosed with stage I breast cancer survive five years beyond their diagnosis [88-89]. Survival rates are averages and vary depending on each person’s diagnosis and treatment.
The survival rates in Figure 4.8 below are based on women diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and 2002. With progress in treatment since that time, survival for women diagnosed today may be higher.
Figure 4.8
Stage
|
Five-year overall survival
|
0 (non-invasive breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS))
|
93%
|
I
|
88%
|
IIA
|
81%
|
IIB
|
74%
|
IIIA
|
67%
|
IIIB
|
41%
|
IIIC
|
49%
|
IV
|
15%
|
Adapted from American Cancer Society and National Cancer Data Base materials [80-81].
|
Relative survival rates
Figure 4.9 shows five-year relative survival rates (not overall survival rates) by stage of breast cancer. Relative survival compares survival rates for women with breast cancer to survival rates for women in the general population. For example, the five-year relative survival for stage II breast cancer is 86 percent. This means women with stage II breast cancer are, on average, 86 percent as likely as women in the general population to live five years beyond their diagnosis. Women with stage 0 (DCIS) or stage I breast cancer are just as likely as women in the general population to live five more years. As with overall survival, these rates are averages and vary depending on each person’s diagnosis and treatment.
Population survival rates
Summary cancer staging is the most basic way to stage any type of cancer, including breast cancer, and is used to assess survival at the population level. It is also called SEER staging because it is used by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, a part of the National Cancer Institute. SEER collects cancer data in the United States and compiles national cancer statistics.
SEER breast cancer survival rates are vital to researchers, advocates and policymakers. However, they are less helpful in estimating survival for individuals because the stages are defined so broadly. Figure 4.10 shows five-year relative breast cancer survival rates based on SEER staging.
Learn more about the SEER program.
Updated 12/04/12
