30 Mar Cancer Survivors in the United States: Prevalence across the Survivorship Trajectory and Implications for Care

MedicalResearch.com Interview with Janet S. de Moor, PhD, MPH

Program Director, Office of Cancer Survivorship
Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20891-8336

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? 

Dr. de Moor: The number of people who have been diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime has been steadily increasing.  As of January 1, 2012, approximately 13.7 million cancer survivors were living in the United States with projected prevalence to approach 18 million by 2022.  Women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer represent the two largest groups of cancer survivors, accounting for 22% and 20% of the population respectively.  Sixty-four percent of cancer survivors have survived 5 years or more; 40% have survived 10 years or more; and 15% have survived 20 years or more after diagnosis.  Over the next decade, the number of people who have lived 5 years or more after their cancer diagnosis is projected to increase approximately 37% to 11.9 million.

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. de Moor: Over the next decade, the number of cancer survivors is projected to increase as a result of increasing cancer incidence rates associated with the aging of the population and improvements in long-term survival rates.  The largest group of survivors, currently and moving forward, are those who are 5 years are more from diagnosis.  This growing cohort of cancer survivors presents a significant challenge to the health care system. This is especially true given that most survivors can now expect to live longer after diagnosis and often have complex needs stemming from chronic and late effects of treatment as well as co-morbid diseases. Over the next decade, a coordinated agenda for research and practice is needed to better understand and address the medical, psychosocial, and practical needs of cancer survivors from the point of diagnosis forward.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. de Moor: A multi-pronged approach is essential to address the diverse and evolving needs of cancer survivors. Efforts are needed to identify effective and efficient models for delivering long-term follow-up care; develop infrastructure to collect long-term clinical and patient-reported outcome data from survivors; harness health IT and other technologies that facilitate care coordination and improvement in survivors’ long-term health outcomes; address important knowledge gaps about long-term survivors; and improve integrative palliative care. Progress in these areas is critical to optimize the health and quality of life of all people diagnosed with cancer.

Citation:

Cancer Survivors in the United States: Prevalence across the Survivorship Trajectory and Implications for Care

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2013 Mar 27. [Epub ahead of print]

de Moor JS, Mariotto AB, Parry C, Alfano CM, Padgett L, Kent EE, Forsythe L, Scoppa S, Hachey M, Rowland JH.

Authors’ Affiliations: 1Office of Cancer Survivorship, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland; 2Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland; 3Behavioral Research Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland; 4Applied Research Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland; 5Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland; 6Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Washington; and 7IMS, Falls Church, Virginia.

Last Updated on March 30, 2013 by Marie Benz MD FAAD