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Survival Rate

By Lynne Eldridge MD, About.com

Updated May 15, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Definition:

The percent of people who survive a disease such as cancer for a specified amount of time. For example, if the 5-year survival rate for a particular cancer is 34%, this means that 34 out of 100 people initially diagnosed with that cancer would be alive after 5 years. Survival rate does not indicate if a cancer is cured or if treatment is completed.

Lung cancer survival rate by stage:

Keep in mind that survival rates are based on statistics and look at the population as a whole. Your prognosis may be different based on many variables such as your general health, and new treatments that have become available. By the time survival rates are published, the statistics are frequently several years old.

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