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In the United States, the total number of cancer survivors is expected to increase from 16.9 million Americans to more than 22.1 million by 2030, according to a new study.
Growth occurs even though incidence rates are stable for women and declining for men.
This means that the increase is based solely on the growth and aging of the population, explain the researchers, led by Kim D. Miller, MPH, Senior Associate Scientist, Surveillance Research, American Cancer Society (ACS), Atlanta, Georgia.
The new findings come from a three-year report of the ACS entitled "Cancer Treatment and Survival Statistics", published online today in the United States. CA: A cancer journal for clinicians.
"As baby boomers continue to age and our population ages overall, the proportion of survivors over the age of 65 will represent more and more of the cancer survivor population," Miller said. Medscape Medical News in an email.
"Some researchers have dubbed this" tsunami of money, "she added.
According to the new report, nearly two-thirds (64%) of cancer survivors are currently 65 years of age or older.
All those involved in growth do not like to be called "survivors," Miller warned.
"The term" survivor "means something different for everyone, and not everyone with a history of cancer can identify with this idea," she said.
"I have a good friend who has lived with cancer intermittently throughout his life, who chose not to call a survivor because he did not have the same". impression that the term describes his experience, "observed Miller.
People with metastatic cancer also frequently reject the term "survivor" because of the increased likelihood of death from the disease.
The authors' estimate of the number of cancer survivors in 2030 is based on the population projections established by the US Census Bureau and uses current incidence, mortality, and survival rates. However, as noted in the new report, changes in cancer frequency and survival due to advances in treatment and detection may have an additional impact on cancer prevalence.
Robin Yabroff, PhD, Senior Scientific Director of Health Services Research and co-author of the report, said prevalence projections were a challenge for health care in the United States.
"While there is an increasing number of tools that can help patients, caregivers and clinicians navigate through the different phases of cancer survival, other evidence-based resources are needed to optimize the outcomes." care, "she said.
The authors of the study also provide a list of hot spots along the path leading to 2030.
They summarize the "challenges" to come: "These include a fractured health care system, poor integration of life-sustaining care between oncology and primary care environments, shortages of health care staff, clinicians and lack of knowledge about the needs of cancer survivors, lack of strong evidence-based guidelines for post-treatment care, and financial and other barriers to quality of care, particularly in medically-ill people served. "
CA: A cancer journal for clinicians. Posted online 11 June 2019. Full text
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