© 2005-2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). All rights reserved worldwide.
This section has been reviewed and approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 4/2013
Statistics ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about how many people learn they have this type of cancer each year and some general survival information. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors. To see other pages in this guide, use the colored boxes on the right side of your screen, or click “Next” at the bottom.
This year, an estimated 7,060 adults (2,630 men and 4,430 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with anal cancer. It is estimated that 880 deaths (330 men and 550 women) from this disease will occur this year.
The five-year survival rate (percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is detected, excluding those who die from other diseases) for early, localized anal cancer is between 53% and 71%, depending on the type of cancer (see Overview for details). The five-year survival rate for people with tumors that have spread to the area around the anus is 24% to 48%. If the cancer has spread to more distant body parts, the five-year survival rate is between 7% and 21%. Survival rate may be lower for people who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Cancer survival statistics should be interpreted with caution. These estimates are based on data from thousands of people with this type of cancer in the United States each year, but the actual risk for a particular individual may differ. It is not possible to tell a person how long he or she will live with anal cancer. Because the survival statistics are measured in five-year intervals, they may not represent advances made in the treatment or diagnosis of this cancer. Learn more about understanding statistics.
Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society's (ACS) publication, Cancer Facts & Figures 2013, and the ACS website.
Choose “Next” (below, right) to continue reading this guide to learn what raises a person’s risk of developing this type of cancer, or use the colored boxes located on the right side of your screen to visit any section.