Ask an Expert is a free question-and-answer service about breast cancer and breast health that is available on weekends. If you'd like to ask a question or comment, please visit us again on Saturday or Sunday. In the meantime, please search the existing topics using the search tool at the top of the page. It's quite possible that one of our many existing topics already addresses your question.
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We hope you find the information helpful!
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Facts and Myths about Breast Cancer Questions on the facts and myths of breast cancer. |
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| 11/7/2011 | I saw an episode of Dr. Oz this past week on breast cancer. He quoted a statistic that said 85% of b/c patients are alive ten years after treatment. My question is, does that mean 85% are alive and disease-free or do long-term ,stage IV survivors get factored into that percentage? Thanks for your hardwork in keeping this queston/answer site available to us survivors. It helps so much. | ||
| Replied | JHU's Breast Center Reply | ||
| 11/8/2011 | Thank you for turning to the JOhns Hopkins Breast Center. So here are some recent statistics copied from a recent report released by ASCO (American Society Clinical Oncologists): Women diagnosed with breast cancer that hadn't spread beyond the breast (local breast cancer) had 10-year survival rates go up from 55.0% in 1944-54 to 86.1% by 1995-2004. Women diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread to nearby skin or lymph nodes (regional breast cancer) had 10-year survival rates go up from 16.2% in 1944-54 to 74.1% by 1995-2004. Women diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread to other parts of the body away from the breast (metastatic breast cancer) had 10-year survival rates go up from 3.3% in 1944-54 to 22.2% by 1995-2004. So not sure what group Dr. Oz may have been referring to. Hope this helps, and best wishes. | ||
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