Colon Cancer Life Expectancy

Life expectancy for colon cancer will depend on the stage of the cancer. In order to give a prognosis, doctors use the five year survival rate statistic, which indicate the amount of people with a particular type and stage of cancer who are still alive after this time period. Many people remain alive after this time period.

Considerations for Life Expectancy

• While the five year statistics can provide some guidance, it is important to note that the most current statistics at any given time are based on people treated many years ago. Several individual factors affect a prognosis.

Stage 1

• Stage 1 colon cancer has a five year survival rate of 93 percent. This stage indicates the cancer has not penetrated the outer layers of the colon or lymph nodes.

Stage 2A and 2B

• Stages 2A and 2B indicate the cancer has spread to nearby tissues but has not invaded lymph nodes. The five year survival rate is 85 percent and 72 percent respectively.

Stage 3A, 3B and 3C

• The various substages of stage 3 indicate the cancer has spread beyond the colon into certain nearby areas and to at least one to four lymph nodes. The five year survival rates are 83 percent for 3A, 64 percent for 3B and 44 percent for 3C.

Stage 4

• Stage 4 colon cancer has spread beyond the colon to distant sites like the lungs and liver. The five year survival rate is 8 percent.