
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Five-year survival rate
Introduction
The five year survival rate is a figure used in medicine for estimating the prognosis of a particular disease.
It is most commonly cited in cancer statistics. In this practice it describes the percentage of patients who are alive at least five years after their cancer is diagnosed. It can also be used to compare the effectiveness of treatments.
Use of 5-year survival statistics is more useful in aggressive diseases that have a shorter life expectancy following diagnosis (such as lung cancer) and less useful in cases with a long life expectancy such as prostate cancer. Template:WikiDoc Sources
