Survival statistics for adrenal gland cancer

Survival statistics for cancer are very general estimates and must be interpreted very carefully. Because these statistics are based on the experience of groups of people, they cannot be used to predict a particular person's chances of survival.

There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your doctor can explain these statistics and what they mean to you.

Net survival represents the probability (chance) of surviving cancer in the absence of other causes of death. It is used to give an estimate of the percentage of people who will survive cancer.

In Canada, a separate 5-year net survival statistic is not reported for adrenal gland cancer. But it is included in other endocrine cancers, which includes similar cancers that are grouped and reported together. This statistic does not necessarily reflect the actual survival for the individual cancers within the group. The 5-year net survival for all other endocrine cancers is 59%. This means that, on average, people diagnosed with other endocrine cancers are 59% as likely to live at least 5 years after their diagnosis as people in the general population.

Survival varies with each stage and particular type of adrenal gland cancer.

Survival for adrenal gland cancer by stage is reported as 5-year relative survival. Relative survival looks at how likely people with cancer are to survive for at least 5 years after their diagnosis compared to people in the general population who do not have cancer but who share similar characteristics (such as age and sex).

There are no specific Canadian statistics available for the different stages or types of adrenal gland cancer. The following information comes from a variety of sources. It includes statistics from other countries that are likely to have similar outcomes as in Canada.

The 5-year relative survival for adrenocortical carcinoma is estimated to be between 38% and 73% depending on the grade and stage of the cancer.

The 5-year relative survival for cancerous pheochromocytoma is estimated to be between 34% and 60% depending on the grade and stage of the cancer.

Talk to your doctor about your prognosis. A prognosis depends on many factors, including:

• your health history
• the type of cancer
• the stage
• the treatments chosen
• how the cancer responds to treatment

Only a doctor familiar with these factors can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.