The current overall five-year relative stomach cancersurvival rateis 33.3%. That means that one in three people treated for stomach cancer will live for at least five years following their diagnosis.
With that said, the survival rate only offers a snapshot of the odds, and many people live well in excess of this.
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Stomach cancerprognosis is based on many individual factors, including the type and stage of cancer you have, your age and general health, and where and how extensively the cancer may have spread. You can find more details about that here.
This article also takes an in-depth look at the relative survival rates for stomach cancer, including how they are determined and how rates vary based on the general stage of cancer.
Importance of Prognosis With Cancer
Determining Stomach Cancer Survival Rates
There is no way that a cancer specialist can accurately predict how many years you or a loved one will live once diagnosed with stomach cancer. What they can offer are statistics based on the outcomes of people living with your type of cancer in the United States.
SEER researchers calculate five-year survival rates based on continually updated data on people of all ages, genders, races/ethnicities, and health statuses who survive forat leastfive years following their diagnosis.
It’s important to note that survival rates do not take into account what treatments a person was prescribed, if treatment was stopped, or if the person died from a cause unrelated to stomach cancer (such as a car accident).
Survival rates are categorized in the following ways:
Some researchers offer one-, two-, or 10-year relative survival rates for certain types of cancer based on how aggressive or indolent (slow-growing) they are. But, for practical purposes, most specialists use five-year survival rates.
Current Five-Year Survival Rates for Stomach Cancer
Science is advancing rapidly with respect to stomach cancer, with new treatments offering longer survival times and newer genetic tests facilitating earlier diagnoses in some people.
Because of this, survival rates for stomach cancer have been gradually improving year on year. As such, what your statistical odds are this year may improve in the next.
Based on SEER data for 2020, the five-year relative survival rate for stomach cancer is as follows:
The lion’s share of diagnoses (37%) occurs when the cancer has metastasized. An estimated 28% are diagnosed when the tumor is localized, while 25% are diagnosed the cancer is regional. (The remaining 10% of cases are unknown due to the lack of available data.)
Prognosis vs. Relative Survival
Where survival rates are described in relative terms, prognosis suggests a more individualized assessment of what to expect if you have stomach cancer. It takes into account the different factors that can influence the likely outcome, some of which can change over the course of treatment.
From a broad perspective, there are several key factors that help establish a prognosis for stomach cancer:
Based on these and other factors, the healthcare provider can give you a clearer sense of your survival rate and, if you are inremission, your disease-free survival rate.
Summary
The overall five-year survival rate for stomach cancer in 2022 is 33.3%, although the rate is significantly better if the tumor is localized (71.8%). Survival rates are estimated based on all people with stomach cancer irrespective of age, general health, or cancer type or stage.
A prognosis is based on individual factors that can increase or decrease your chances of survival. It takes into account your cancer type, stage, and grade as well as your age, performance status, response to treatment, and other factors.
A Word From Verywell
The five-year survival rate for stomach cancer is simply a statistic. It is meant to guide you and your healthcare provider so you have an idea of what to expect. It is not supposed to be taken as a hard-and-fast rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stomach cancer only accounts for about 1.5% of cancer cases in the United States each year. In 2022, an estimated 26,280 people were newly diagnosed with stomach cancer; 11,090 deaths were reported.
Symptoms of stomach cancer include unintentional weight loss, poor appetite, pain in the abdomen, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal swelling and discomfort, blood in the stool, fatigue, andjaundice(yellowing of the skin and eyes).Learn MoreSymptoms of Stomach Cancer
Symptoms of stomach cancer include unintentional weight loss, poor appetite, pain in the abdomen, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal swelling and discomfort, blood in the stool, fatigue, andjaundice(yellowing of the skin and eyes).
Learn MoreSymptoms of Stomach Cancer
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Stomach cancer.National Cancer Institute.Understanding cancer prognosis.American Cancer Society.Key statistics about stomach cancer.Iyer P, Moslim M, Farma JM, Denlinger CS.Diffuse gastric cancer: histologic, molecular, and genetic basis of disease.Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5:52. doi:10.21037/tgh.2020.01.02American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Stomach cancer.National Cancer Institute.Understanding cancer prognosis.American Cancer Society.Key statistics about stomach cancer.Iyer P, Moslim M, Farma JM, Denlinger CS.Diffuse gastric cancer: histologic, molecular, and genetic basis of disease.Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5:52. doi:10.21037/tgh.2020.01.02American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Stomach cancer.National Cancer Institute.Understanding cancer prognosis.American Cancer Society.Key statistics about stomach cancer.Iyer P, Moslim M, Farma JM, Denlinger CS.Diffuse gastric cancer: histologic, molecular, and genetic basis of disease.Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5:52. doi:10.21037/tgh.2020.01.02American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer.
National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Stomach cancer.
National Cancer Institute.Understanding cancer prognosis.
American Cancer Society.Key statistics about stomach cancer.
Iyer P, Moslim M, Farma JM, Denlinger CS.Diffuse gastric cancer: histologic, molecular, and genetic basis of disease.Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5:52. doi:10.21037/tgh.2020.01.02
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of stomach cancer.
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