Cancer Survival

For the first time, 70% of cancer patients now live at least five years post-diagnosis, according to the 2026 statistics report from the American Cancer Society. That is a great improvement from 50% in the 1970s and 63% in the 1990s.
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The five-year mark is described as a key milestone for survival, as the risk of recurrence often decreases substantially after this point.
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Rebecca Siegel, lead author of the statistics study, told NBC News that advances in treatment have turned many cancers from death sentences into chronic diseases.

An estimated 4.8 million cancer deaths were prevented between 1991 and 2023, an achievement credited to early detection, declining smoking rates, and scientists’ deepening understanding of how cancer develops and spreads.
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“It takes decades for research to understand and develop these more effective treatments, and now we’re seeing the fruits of those investments,” Siegel told NBC News, noting immunotherapy as one of the most significant advances.