Some people with cancer may want to know the survival rates for their type of cancer. Others may not find the numbers helpful, or may even not want to know them. Whether or not you want to read about survival rates is up to you. If you decide you don’t want to read them, stop reading here and skip to the next section.
The outlook for people with primary bone cancer varies greatly, based on the exact type of cancer and how far it has spread.
5-year survival rates are the percentage of patients who live at least 5 years after their cancer is found. Of course, many patients may live longer than 5 years. Relative 5-year survival rates compare the number of people who are still alive 5 years after their cancer was found to the survival of others the same age who don't have cancer. This is a better way to show the impact that cancer can have on survival.
For all cases of bone cancer combined (in both adults and children), the 5-year relative survival is about 70%. (Survival rates for Ewing tumors and osteosarcoma can be found in our documents about those cancers.)
Chondrosarcoma is found most often in adults, with most cases in patients aged 40 or older. Most cases are found at an early stage and are low grade. It has a relative 5-year survival of about 80%.
While numbers provide an overall picture, keep in mind that every person is unique and that statistics can't predict exactly what will happen in your case. Talk with your cancer care team if you have questions about your own chances of a cure or how long you might survive your cancer. They know your situation best.
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