70% of Cancer Patients Now Live 5+ Years After Diagnosis

A cancer diagnosis is no longer the death sentence it once was. New data from the American Cancer Society shows that 70% of cancer patients now survive at least five years after diagnosis, a milestone never before reached in modern medicine.

The numbers tell a powerful story. Survival rates have jumped 7% since the late 1990s and a remarkable 21% since the late 1970s. Doctors at Avera Cancer Institute say decades of research investment are finally paying off in ways patients can feel.

Dr. Luis Rojas, a gynecologic oncologist, has watched ovarian cancer treatment advance more in the last ten years than in the previous thirty. He's seeing patients with similar diagnoses living longer than ever before, with some becoming cancer-free entirely.

The secret lies in an explosion of treatment options. The number of approved cancer drugs has skyrocketed from 60 to over 600 in just 25 years. Beyond traditional chemotherapy, patients now have access to immunotherapies and targeted therapies that work with their bodies instead of against them.

One breakthrough treatment, CAR-T cell therapy, uses a patient's own immune system to fight cancer. Doctors collect T cells, send them to specialized labs for genetic engineering, then reinfuse the supercharged cells back into the patient.

Dr. Shristi Upadhyay Banskota studies blood cancers and sees similar promise in TIL therapy. This treatment harvests immune cells from a patient's tumor, grows them stronger and larger in a lab, then sends them back to do what they were meant to do all along: destroy cancer cells.

Early detection remains the most powerful weapon. Advanced imaging can now spot tumors at sizes that would have been invisible decades ago. Doctors and patients are also more alert to warning signs, catching cancer before it spreads.

Why This Inspires

These advances mean more than just longer life. New targeted drugs cause fewer side effects, giving patients a better quality of life during treatment. Rural areas now have access to cutting-edge care and clinical trials that were once only available in major cities.

The future looks even brighter. Researchers are exploring mRNA vaccines that could prevent cancer before it starts, potentially stopping the disease at its source.

While 1,810 South Dakotans will still lose their battle with cancer this year, the data shows how far we've come and where we're heading next.