Colorectal cancer survival rates by stage

Article written by Master, Doctor Mai Vien Phuong - Gastroenterologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

Colorectal cancer, also known as colon cancer, is a common cancer in Vietnam as well as in the world. Colon cancer is one of the gastrointestinal cancers with a good prognosis in case the disease is detected at an early stage or precancerous lesions. If detected late, treatment is less effective.

Colorectal cancer is cancer that originates in the colon or rectum. Depending on where the tumor begins, it may also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer. Colorectal cancer occurs when cells in the colon or rectum change and grow abnormally.
Colorectal cancer begins as a growth (polyp) on the lining of the colon or rectum. These tumors can invade through different layers of the colon or rectum and into blood vessels, eventually moving to distant parts of your body.

Staging is used to help doctors determine the best treatment and predict survival rates. The degree of metastasis of the cancer determines the stage of the cancer.
Colorectal cancer is often staged using the TNM staging system developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer.
Segmentation is based on the following:
Primary tumor (T). The size of the original tumor and how far it has grown into the colon wall or spread to nearby areas. Regional lymph nodes (N). Cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Distant metastasis (M). Cancer has spread to lymph nodes or distant organs, such as the lungs or liver. The stages of colorectal cancer range from stage 0 to stage 4. Each stage can be further broken down into severity levels. These grades are indicated by the letters A, B, or C.
Stage 0 The cancer is in its earliest stages and has not spread beyond the mucosa, which is the inner lining of the colon or rectum. This stage is also known as carcinoma in situ.
Stage 1 Cancer has grown through the lining of the colon or rectum but has not spread beyond the wall of the colon or rectum.
Stage 2 Cancer has grown through the wall of the colon or rectum but has not spread to lymph nodes in the area. Stage 2 can be divided into stages 2A, 2B, and 2C depending on how deep it has spread into the wall and whether it has spread to nearby organs, such as the bladder or prostate.
Stage 3 Cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the area. Stage 3 can be divided into stages 3A, 3B, and 3C depending on where the cancer has grown and the number of lymph nodes involved.
Stage 4 Cancer has spread to distant sites. This is the heaviest stage. Stage 4 can be divided into stages 4A and 4B. Stage 4A indicates that the cancer has spread to a distant site. Stage 4B shows that the cancer has spread to two or more distant sites.

Colorectal cancer survival rates are used as a tool to help understand your prognosis. It provides the percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer who are still alive after a specific period of time - usually 5 years after diagnosis. Many people live longer than 5 years, even, most live much longer.
Survival rates are general estimates only and cannot predict how long you will live. There are other individual factors that can affect your survival such as:
Age and other health problems. How your body responds to treatment. Tumor-specific markers. Treatments received. Whether the cancer has recurred or not. According to the National Cancer Institute, the current estimated relative 5-year survival rate for colorectal cancer is 64.5%. This is the estimated number of people with colorectal cancer in the United States who are still alive 5 years after diagnosis. This number is based on National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program data collected between 2008 and 2014.
Based on this data, here is a table stage analysis:
Cancer in situ. Early-stage colorectal cancer that has not spread beyond the primary site - usually stage 0 or stage 1 - has a 5-year survival rate of 89.8%. Cancer has also spread to regional lymph nodes. The 5-year survival rate for cancer that has spread to nearby lymph nodes is 71.1%. Distant metastatic cancer. 5-year survival rate for cancer that has spread to a distant site; such as liver, brain or lung, is 13.8%. The cancer is not staged. In some cases, the cancer may not be staged. There are several reasons for this, such as patient choice. The 5-year survival rate for stage-free cancer is 35%.

Gender seems to affect survival in people with colorectal cancer. According to the most recent statistics, more men are diagnosed with colorectal cancer than women. Many studies have found that women also have higher survival rates.
A 2017 meta-analysis studying the effect of gender on overall survival and survival rates among people with colorectal cancer found that gender was the most important predictor on patient survival.
Previous studies have also shown that women have a higher survival rate after colorectal cancer than men. This was the case with young and middle-aged women with localized cancer, as well as older women who had taken hormone replacement therapy after menopause, one study found. Another study looking at the effect of gender on survival rates in metastatic colorectal cancer also found that young women with metastatic colorectal cancer lived longer than men.
Researchers believe that sex hormones may be associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer and higher survival rates in women.

In its early stages, colorectal cancer may not cause any symptoms. Signs and symptoms appear after the tumor has grown into surrounding tissues. Some typical symptoms include:
Change in bowel habits, usually lasting more than 4 weeks. Narrow and flat stools. Bloody stools or rectal bleeding. Feeling that the intestines are not completely empty. Persistent abdominal pain, such as bloating. Rectal pain. Unexplained weight loss. Tired. Swollen lymph nodes, difficulty breathing, or jaundice (related to metastatic cancer).

Colorectal cancer survival rates are estimates only and cannot predict outcomes for each person. Your survival rate depends on your individual situation. Your doctor can help give you statistics based on your condition. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about colorectal cancer survival statistics and how to apply them to you.
Colorectal cancer is completely curable if detected early, so screening for early detection of colorectal cancer is very important. When there are risk factors or suspicious symptoms, you should go to hospitals and specialized medical centers for screening to help detect colorectal cancer early.
Vinmec International General Hospital is a large hospital chain, the first general hospital in Vietnam to meet global medical standards. Currently, Vinmec is a leading medical facility in the field of colorectal cancer screening and detection.
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that ensures modern equipment, a team of doctors, good and experienced staff with leading professors and doctors at home and abroad. Preventive, advanced tests allow the implementation of the most advanced colorectal cancer screening techniques.