title: Conditional survival estimates in 34,963 patients with invasive carcinoma of the colon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report colon cancer survival rates that are conditioned on patients having already survived one or more years after diagnosis. These rates have more meaning clinically, because they consider those patients who have already survived a given period of time after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The life table method was used to compute conditional survival rates, using population-based data obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute. Patients were diagnosed between 1983 and 1987 and followed up through 1994. Relative and observed survival rates are considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survival rates up to ten years after diagnosis are reported by stage of disease, gender, and race for colon cancer patients who survived from one to five years after diagnosis. Survival rates are also reported by lymph node involvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Five-year and ten-year survival in colon cancer patients having already survived between one and five years after diagnosis continues to be influenced significantly by stage and race.
authors.affiliation: Applied Research Branch, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7344, USA.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Henson
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ries
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015996:Survival Rate; D044465:White People