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U.S. cancer survivors grow to 18.6M predicted to reach 22M by 2035
ST. PAUL, Minn., May 30 (UPI) -- The number of cancer survivors living in the United States is continuing its steady increase, rising to an estimated at 18.6 million as of Jan. 1, according to a study published Friday by the American Cancer Society.
That number is projected to exceed 22 million by 2035, and is up from 18 million survivors in 2022, the authors found.
Friday's peer-reviewed study, published in the cancer society's CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, also found that about half of those 18.6 million survivors were diagnosed within the past 10 years, and that nearly 4r out of 5 of them were 60 years old and older.
The latest figures continue a pattern in which the numbers of U.S. cancer survivors are increasing each year, partly as a result of the growth and aging of the population, but also due to improvements in early detection practices and breakthroughs in cancer treatments.
As in its previous estimates, the cancer society collaborated with the National Cancer Institute to tap data from a number of sources, including cancer registries kept by several federal agencies and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, as well as information from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Using that data, cancer society researchers determined that among men, the three most prevalent cancers are prostate (3.55 million survivors), melanoma of the skin (816,580), and colorectal (729,550).
Among women, the most common cancers were breast (4.3 million survivors), uterine corpus (945,540) and thyroid (859,890).
"The increase in cancer survivors in the United States is a testament to the tremendous progress made by cancer research efforts across multiple collaborative stakeholders resulting in improvements in prevention, risk reduction, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, said Dr. Crystal S. Denlinger, CEO of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of leading cancer centers.
"While this milestone should be celebrated, it is important to remember that cancer survivors have unique needs during and after treatment, and disparities still exist in the receipt of these life-saving advances," Denlinger said.
"Everyone should have access to high-quality cancer care as outlined in the latest evidence-based, expert consensus-driven guidelines. Through persistent research, broadened awareness, and unwavering access to guideline-concordant care, everyone has the potential to benefit from ongoing advances in cancer care and prevention."
Though the numbers of cancer survivors continue to increase, racial and socioeconomic disparities in treatment also remain readily apparent, the study found. For instance, Black people with Stage I or Stage II lung cancer were less likely to undergo surgery than their White counterparts by a 47% to 52% margin.
Dr. Nikita Sandeep Wagle, principal scientist within the Surveillance & Health Equity Science department of the cancer society and the study's lead author, told UPI she was surprised at "the extent to which treatment receipt differs in Black people compared to White people for some [other] cancers.
"For example, only 39% of Black people with early-stage rectal cancer received surgery, compared to 64% of their White counterparts," she said. "Addressing disparities requires improving access to high-quality cancer early-detection, treatment and survivorship resources by expanding access to affordable insurance coverage through public and private programs."
Meanwhile, perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the study relates to breast cancer. There, the statistics showed that the number of female breast cancer survivors is projected to jump from today's 4.3 million to 5.3 million by 2035 -- the largest expected survivor growth among the top 10 most prevalent cancers.
In 2022, the ACS estimated slightly more than 4 million women were living in the United States with a history of invasive breast cancer. That included more than 150,000 women living with metastatic breast cancer, three-fourth of whom originally were diagnosed with stage I-III disease.
One-third of female breast cancer survivors in 2022 were younger than 65, reflecting the relatively young median age at diagnosis of 63 years.
The projected increase to 5.3 million female breast cancer survivors and those living with breast cancer by 2035 "is a testament to progress in early detection and treatment of breast cancer -- but it's only part of the story," according to Susan G. Komen, the U.S.-based breast cancer advocacy organization.
While lauding the rising number of survivors, the group noted in a statement to UPI that every day this year, "we still lose about 117 people in the United States to this disease, and nearly 43,000 are expected to die from breast cancer in 2025 alone.
"Recent alarming trends also show breast cancer diagnoses are rising among younger women, with the disease being the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 20 to 49," they said.
Those survivors must also face complex challenges, ranging from loss of fertility and early menopause to fatigue, fear of recurrence and financial toxicity, "especially for those living with metastatic breast cancer.
"While survival rates have improved overall, significant disparities remain -- especially for Black women, who continue to face worse outcomes, as the report highlights," Susan G. Komen said. "Continued investment in research, equal access to care, and comprehensive support are essential to ensure everyone -- not just some -- has the chance to survive and thrive."
And, as the number of cancer survivors steadily rises, so does the need to keep them healthy, Wagle said.
"It is surprising that there are now as many as 18.6 million cancer survivors, meaning more people need health care access to monitor for cancer recurrence, new cancers and side effects of cancer treatment," she cautioned.
