Bladder Cancer Survival Rate What is It?

When doctors talk of the bladder cancer survival rate, they are referring to the percentage of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer who survive, or are still living, for a certain period of time after their diagnosis. The most common time period is five years, so you will often hear the term '5 year survival rate'. This refers to the percentage of bladder cancer patients who live for five years after their diagnosis.

The survival rate is dependant on a number of factors, and often 5 year survival rates are given for different classifications to give a clearer picture of the life expectancy of specific cancer patients. These factors include the type of cancer cells present, the extent of their growth and spread when first diagnosed (called the stage of the cancer) and the age and general health of the patient.

To explain why these factors play such a significant part, we will explore them more fully.

• The type of cancer cells identified under a microscope can determine the aggressiveness of the cancer. Different types of cancer cells act in various ways. Some cancer cells are very aggressive and will grow and multiply quickly, causing the tumor to grow and spread rapidly. Other cancer cells are less aggressive and will divide and grow at a slower rate.

• The stage of cancer refers to its spread when first diagnosed. Cancers are generally described in four stages; stage 1 being localized in one area and not very large and stage 4 being cancer that has spread or metastasized to other parts of the body. The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the more successful treatment is likely to be.

• The age and general health of the patient points to the patient's physical ability to withstand the harsh treatments that are used to kill off the cancer cells. A younger, healthier person, in otherwise good health, will naturally be expected to be able to withstand the onslaught of harsh treatment methods better than an older, possible frail patient.

These factors lead to 5 year survival rates being calculated for a range of different groups of patients so that oncologists are able to give individual patients a better idea of their chances of survival. Survival rates can be calculated for different purposes, and different methods may be used.

Relative survival rates are common; these measure the bladder cancer survival rate compared to the general population. This calculation helps to determine the extent of the effects of bladder cancer.

The over-all 5 year relative survival rate for bladder cancer was 81.9% in the years 1995 to 2001. These statistics may appear to be old, but this is the norm. It takes considerable time to collect and collate all the statistics for bladder cancer, from all areas of the country; so statistics that are being used today are several years old.

It should be remembered that the bladder cancer survival rate is only a guide, and may not reflect the actualities of your individual case. New diagnostic and treatment methods mean that current results are vastly different to what they were even five years ago, so the actual current statistics are possible much stronger than these figures show.