Survival statistics for pharyngeal 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 the statistics for pharyngeal cancer and what they mean to you.
Net survival
Net survival represents the probability of surviving cancer in the absence of other causes of death. It’s used to give an estimate of the percentage of people who will survive their cancer.
A net survival statistic for pharyngeal cancer is not reported separately but is included in the general category of head and neck cancer. This broad category includes pharyngeal cancer and similar cancers. So the number doesn’t necessarily show the net survival specifically for pharyngeal cancer.
In Canada, the 5-year net survival for head and neck cancer is 64%. This means about 64% of people diagnosed with head and neck cancer will survive for at least 5 years.
Survival by stage
Survival varies with each stage and type of pharyngeal cancer. Generally, the earlier pharyngeal cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome. But often pharyngeal cancer isn’t found until it is at an advanced stage, which can make it harder to treat.
Whether or not the cancer is related to HPV can also affect survival rates for oropharyngeal cancer.
There are no specific Canadian statistics available for the different stages of pharyngeal cancer. The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) of the National Cancer Institute in the United States divides the cancer into summary stages.
Survival is reported as 5-year relative survival. Relative survival looks at how likely people with cancer are to survive 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).
Localized means the cancer has not spread outside the area where the tumour started.
Regional means the cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs including the nearby lymph nodes.
Distant means the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.
| Stage | 5-year relative survival rate |
| Localized | 85% |
| Regional | 67% |
| Distant | 27% |
| Stage | 5-year relative survival rate |
| Localized | 81% |
| Regional | 73% |
| Distant | 46% |
| Stage | 5-year relative survival rate |
| Localized | 61% |
| Regional | 35% |
| Distant | 20% |
Questions about survival
Talk to your doctor about your prognosis. A prognosis depends on many factors, including:
- your health history
- the type of cancer
- the stage
- certain characteristics of the cancer
- 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.
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