Surviving different types of cancers has improved drastically over the last 30 years owing to earlier detection, more successful treatments, and better follow up care. The favored technique of presenting cancer survival data is the relative to the survival rate. This percentage compares the survival rate of cancer survivors to corresponding people of the general population without a history of cancer. The latest estimation of the overall five-year relative survival rate in Canada for all invasive cancers is 59% (Canadian Cancer Society 2006). This means that people identified with cancer in Canada are 59% are likely to live for another 5 years as evaluated with persons not diagnosed with cancer. This number changes dramatically according to different factor such as type of cancer and the stage of the disease when diagnosed. Some of the most common cancers found are lung, breast, prostate, and mesothelioma.

From an age standpoint, the relative survival rate is far less for older adults for certain types of cancers. For example, the five-year relative survival rate for lung cancer is 26% among those diagnosed before the age of 40 but only 12% among those diagnosed after age 70. The exact reasons for the poorer survival are unknown, however, factors such as later stage at diagnosis, less aggressive treatments, greater toxicities, and additional comorbidities may contribute to this discrepancy. For the other common cancers, however, there are no clear patterns linking age at diagnosis with survival rates (Canadian Cancer Society 2006).

The higher survival rates have been the result for almost 800 000 Canadians who were alive in 2001 and within 15 years of their cancer diagnosis (Canadian Cancer Society 2006). However the most common cancer in Canada is breast cancer, with an estimated 155 000 survivors in 2001, followed by prostate cancer, with 114 000 survivors, and then mesothelioma cancer.

Unfortunately, surviving cancer usually involves many medical treatments. The most frequently used treatments for cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic therapies (i.e., drugs) such as chemotherapy and hormone therapy.