Key Chemotherapy Statistics

Written by Karen Selby, RN | Edited By Walter Pacheco

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Chemotherapy Treatment Statistics

Whether or not a patient will receive chemotherapy depends heavily on what type of cancer they have and what stage it is in.

The American Cancer Society collects data on cancer patients and their treatments. They report on treatment patterns for select cancer types. Below are the chemo treatment rates for the select cancers included in their 2019-2021 report.

Cost of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy costs differ based on cancer type and stage, insurance status and coverage. The cost also varies by drug type. Additionally, chemotherapy can be given as pills or via injections.

The final issue is that chemotherapy is rarely the only treatment. Costs are usually reported as “cost of treatment,” not as the cost of chemotherapy.

The National Cancer Institute published estimated cancer treatment costs for 2020. It categorized these costs for all patients into three groups: the first year after diagnosis, the ongoing period, and the last year of life.

If, like many Americans with cancer, you’re worried about treatment costs, explore financial aid to help with the burden.

Chemotherapy Survival Statistics

Because chemotherapy is usually administered in combination with other treatments such as radiotherapy, immunotherapy or surgery, it’s not possible to isolate the survivorship rate of chemotherapy specifically.

However, we can combine the cancer survival rates with the stats above. This will give us a general view of survival in patients with cancers often treated with chemotherapy.

Here are the survivorship statistics for cancers selected by the American Cancer Society for the 2019-2021 Cancer Treatment & Survivorship Facts & Figures report.

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer has a five-year survival rate of 77%. It can be detected at “stage 0,” which is noninvasive and confined to the bladder’s inner layer. Roughly 47% of cases are found at this stage. They boast a survival rate of 95%.

Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy is often used for breast cancers found in later stages. The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 90%.

The five-year survival rate for stage 3 colorectal cancer is 68%. For stage 4, it is 12%.

Colorectal Cancers

Patients with stage 1 and 2 colorectal cancers are usually treated with surgery. For stage 3 and 4 cancers, chemotherapy is more common.

The five-year survival rate for colorectal cancers is 68% for patients diagnosed in stage 3 and 12% for patients diagnosed in stage 4.

Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancers make up about 13% of lung cancer cases. The main treatment for these is chemotherapy. Early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients usually have surgery. Meanwhile, 63% of stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer patients receive chemotherapy and/or radiation.

Overall, the five-year survival rate for all lung cancers is 19%. The five-year survival rate is 6% for small cell lung cancer and 23% for non-small cell lung cancer. However, this is due in large part to the fact that only about one in five lung cancer cases are diagnosed in stage 1 of the disease. Of those cases, the five-year survival rate is a much more optimistic 57%.

Prostate Cancer

It is rare for prostate cancer to require chemotherapy except in higher-risk, advanced cases. The five-year survival rate for prostate cancer overall is 99%.

Testicular Cancer

Testicular germ cell tumors are classified by cell type: 55% seminomas, 13% nonseminomas and 28% mixed. Mixed cases are treated as nonseminomas. Surgery is the first step in almost all testicular cancer treatments.

Most stage 1 seminomas (71%) are treated with surgery only. Bu, 60% of stage 2 and 67% of stage 3 seminomas are treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy.

In nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumor patients, 57% of stage 1 cases need only surgery. For stage 2, half get chemotherapy after surgery. Additionally, 31% combine chemotherapy with lymph node surgery. Stage 3 is mostly treated with chemotherapy. Here, 56% combine it with surgery. Meanwhile, 18% add lymph node surgery to chemotherapy. Lastly, 19% opt for chemotherapy or radiation alone.

The overall five-year survival rate for all testicular cancers is 99%. The prognosis for nonseminomas is slightly lower at 90% compared to 94% for mixed cases and 99% for seminomas.

Thyroid

Chemotherapy is rarely needed for thyroid cancer. Most cases, about 97%, are papillary or follicular carcinomas. These types can often be cured with radioactive iodine.

Just 3% are medullary or anaplastic carcinomas, which are tougher to treat. Medullary carcinomas need total thyroid removal. If surgery isn’t possible, chemotherapy is an option. Anaplastic carcinomas are usually widespread by diagnosis. For these, chemotherapy or radiation is common.

The overall five-year survival rate for thyroid cancers is 98%. The survival rate for those diagnosed in stages 1-3 is near 100% and about 71% for stage 4.

The five-year survival rate is 90% for medullary carcinoma and 7% for anaplastic carcinoma.

Chemotherapy Side Effects

Chemotherapy can cause mild to severe side effects. These depend on the drugs used. It’s wise to talk to your doctor about the risk and how to manage it.

Hair Loss

About 65% of chemotherapy patients lose their hair. This varies with the type and number of drugs used.

Nausea

Nausea and vomiting occur in up to 80% of chemotherapy patients, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common side effect of chemotherapy. However, its likelihood and severity depend on the specific drugs used. According to a Case Western Reserve University 2020 report:

• Severe diarrhea occurs in 5% to 44% of patients on cytotoxic drugs, like fluoropyrimidines and irinotecan.
• 75% to 95% of patients on tyrosine kinase inhibitors, like ceritinib, neratinib, and afatinib, get diarrhea. But only 2% to 16% report severe cases.
• Monoclonal antibodies usually don’t cause severe diarrhea when taken alone. But, when used with cytotoxic chemotherapy, they can worsen side effects.

Mucotis

The Oral Cancer Foundation estimates that 40% of chemotherapy and radiotherapy patients develop mucositis. This condition inflames the mouth’s mucous membranes. It can range from mild redness to painful sores.

Nerve Pain

Between 30% to 40% of people getting neurotoxic chemotherapy end up with nerve pain, called chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Yet, CIPN can be treated and sometimes even reversed.

Fertility

Chemotherapy affects fertility in both men and women. However, a 2016 study at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital found hopeful results. It tracked children diagnosed with cancer from 1970 to 1999. Those who had chemotherapy as kids showed better fertility outcomes as adults.

• By 2016, 45% of women who had cancer as children had given birth. In contrast, 80% of cancer-free women had.
• Among men who survived childhood cancer, 50% reported they’d gotten a partner pregnant by age 45. In contrast, 80% of the cancer-free control group had.

“There are side effects to chemotherapy; every patient is different; some patients will have no side effects at all. Other patients will have things that will affect the rapid growing cells. Nausea is a big one, also overall malaise,” said Karen Selby, registered nurse and Patient Advocate at The Mesothelioma Center. “I always encourage a patient to give it a try before they decide definitely whether they want to do it or not. They can always choose to stop at any time. So they are the decision-makers when choosing whether to continue their treatment or not.”

Chemotherapy is often hard on the body, mind, and finances. Yet, it can be life-saving, extending lives or curing cancer. Understanding your treatment helps you get ready for it.