The 5-year relative survival rates are comparisons between people with the same type and stage of cancer and the general population who do not have cancer. If the 5-year survival rate is, for example, 20%, that means that people who have a specific type of cancer are 20% as likely as healthy people to live for the next 5 years after being diagnosed.
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The American Cancer Society uses the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), to provide survival statistics for different types of cancer. SEER tracks 5-year relative survival rates for stomach cancer in the US based on how far the cancer has spread. Unlike the regular stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, etc groupings, SEER classifies cancer according to the following stages:
| Localized | No signs of the cancer spreading outside the stomach |
| Regional | Cancer has spread outside the stomach to nearby lymph nodes and other structures |
| Distant | Cancer has spread to other organs of the body and distant lymph nodes |
The following are the 5-year relative survival rates for stomach cancer based on data from 2013 to 2019:
| Localized | 75% |
| Regional | 35% |
| Distant | 7% |
| All SEER stages combined | 36% |
It is important to consider the following when interpreting these numbers:
If cancer is caught early, you can expect a better survival and recovery rate. There can be a great difference between relative survival rates when the diagnosis is at the localized stage versus the regional and advanced stages.
Stomach cancer can almost be likened to a "forgotten" disease because technological improvements have made it quite rare among the population despite it being a top killer before the days of refrigeration and modern medicine. But despite modern solutions, the risk is still there. Symptoms and complaints should not be hand-waved away by you or your doctor, especially if there is a genetic history of stomach complications involved.
Experts have renewed the calls not to ignore seemingly innocuous signs like heartburn, acid reflux, anemia, ulcers, nausea, unexplained weight loss, and constant feelings of bloatedness. Famous country singer Toby Keith, who passed away in 2022 after a brush with stomach cancer at the age of 62, reportedly experienced those same symptoms. There are tests available, which are even used very often in other parts of the world, that can help detect and diagnose stomach cancer before it spreads. If you or a loved one believe that your doctor either delayed or misdiagnosed your stomach cancer due to negligence, and you’re now suffering decreased chances of survival, call the Porter Law Group.
We have an experienced team of trial lawyers and medical experts who can help you determine if you can recover compensation for your pain, suffering, and decreased chances of survival.
Doctors have a responsibility to provide adequate care and promptly examine all possible options thoroughly with their patients. If not, they could be guilty of medical negligence.
This is when a medical provider diagnoses a cancer patient with a disease other than cancer. This results in a patient not only losing resources for undergoing the wrong treatments but also in a delay in the necessary cancer treatment, which actively worsens the condition.
This is when a healthcare provider fails to diagnose cancer in its early stages. It can lead to the patient requiring more intense treatment options, which not only increases the cost but, like with the common radiation therapy, subjects the patient to more pain and potential side effects that would have been unnecessary had the cancer been detected earlier.
This is when a patient who does not have cancer is improperly diagnosed with cancer. This can lead to a patient undergoing surgery and radiation therapy, both costly and potentially life-threatening treatments, when they didn’t even have the disease to begin with.
If you or a loved one believe your healthcare provider misdiagnosed or delayed your stomach cancer diagnosis, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your pain, discomfort, and decreased chances of survival.
Contact us at 833-PORTER9 or e-mail us at info@porterlawteam.com to discuss the details of our experience representing other clients and the results we obtained in the past for clients who are suffering as you are. In many ways, our results speak for themselves, and we will stand ready to help you and your family in your time of greatest need.
