US cancer survivors to rise by a third by 2022-report

Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:59am EDT

* U.S. cancer survivors to grow to 18 mln in a decade

* Medical community unaware of long-term treatment needs

* Large survivor communities for prostate cancer, breast
cancer

By Debra Sherman

June 14 (Reuters) – The number of Americans living with
cancer will increase by nearly a third to almost 18 million by
2022, according to a report released on Th ursday by the American
Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers found that even though the incidence rates of
cancer are decreasing, the number of cancer survivors is on the
rise due to a growing – and aging – U.S. population. The
incidence of cancer rises dramatically with age.

The report concluded that the expanding population of cancer
survivors makes it increasingly important that the medical
community understand their unique healthcare needs.

A survey presented last month showed that 94 percent of U.S.
primary care doctors were unaware of the long-term side effects
of some of the most commonly used chemotherapy drugs,
highlighting the difficulties faced by patients after they beat
the disease.

“Many survivors, even among those who are cancer free, must
cope with the long-term effects of treatment, as well as
psychological concerns such as fear of recurrence. As more
people survive cancer, it is vital that health care providers
are aware of the special needs of cancer patients and
caregivers,” said Elizabeth R. Ward, national vice president of
Intramural Research and senior author of the latest report.

Nearly one-half of American cancer survivors are age 70 or
older, while only 5 percent are 40 or younger. The median age of
patients at the time of diagnosis is 66.

Almost two-thirds of survivors were diagnosed 5 or more
years ago, while 15 percent were diagnosed 20 or more years ago,
the report said.

The three most common cancers among men living with the
disease are prostate cancer, colorectal cancer and melanoma,
according to the report. The most common cancers among women
living with cancer were breast cancer, uterine or colorectal
cancers.

There are also 58,510 survivors of childhood cancer living
in the United States, and 12,060 more children will be diagnosed
in 2012.

(Reporting by Debra Sherman; Editing by Michele Gershberg;
Editing by Dan Grebler)