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DHHS DPH SCHS Statistics and Reports By Topic Cancer Survival Rates

SCHS: 2019-2023 Cancer Survival for Selected Sites

2019-2023 Cumulative Observed and Relative Survival for Selected Cancer Sites in North Carolina

Site Cumulative Observed Survival Lower 95% CI for Observed Survival Upper 95% CI for Observed Survival Cumulative Relative Survival Lower 95% CI for Relative Survival Upper 95% CI for Relative Survival
Colon/Rectum 50.2% 49.4% 50.9% 58.4% 57.5% 59.3%
Pancreas 11.1% 10.4% 11.7% 13.3% 12.5% 14.1%
Lung/Bronchus 25.0% 24.5% 25.4% 29.5% 29.0% 30.1%
Melanoma (Skin) 85.6% 85.2% 86.0% 99.1% 98.7% 99.6%
Female Breast 83.7% 83.3% 84.1% 94.0% 93.6% 94.4%
Cervix Uteri 58.2% 55.6% 60.7% 61.9% 59.1% 64.5%
Prostate 82.4% 81.9% 82.8% 93.8% 93.3% 94.3%
Bladder 56.1% 55.1% 57.1% 69.1% 67.8% 70.3%
Kidney 66.0% 65.1% 67.0% 74.8% 73.7% 75.9%
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma 55.9% 54.9% 57.0% 65.7% 64.5% 67.0%
All Cancers 58.7% 58.5% 58.9% 67.6% 67.4% 67.9%

Produced by the NC Central Cancer Registry, 03/2026.

Notes on Table Data

  • Numbers are subject to change as files are updated.
  • The Ederer II method is used to estimate expected survival.
  • Cancer cases were presumed to be alive at the time of analysis unless indicated as dead by National Death Index, Social Security Death index or North Carolina Death Records by the end of 2024 during follow-up.
    • This method of follow-up is passive. Thus survival rates may be higher than expected. Please use with caution.
  • Cancer survival statistics are typically expressed as the proportion of patients alive at some point subsequent to the diagnosis of their cancer.
  • Relative survival is an estimate of the percentage of patients who would be expected to survive the effects of their cancer when compared to the death rate of general population.
  • Observed survival is the actual percentage of patients still alive at some specified time after diagnosis of cancer. It considers deaths from all causes, cancer or otherwise. Overview of Population-based Cancer Survival Statistics describes the methodologies involved in calculating cancer survival statistics.
    • For example, the cumulative observed survival for colorectal cancer was 50.2%, meaning that as observed in cancer registry data, 50.2% of people with colorectal cancer survived at the end of 2024 since their cancer diagnosed between 2019 and 2023.
  • Cumulative Relative Survival: Survival rates among cancer cases compared to survival rates of general population during the analysis years.
    • As for cumulative relative survival of 58.4% in colorectal cancer, it can be interpreted as: compared to the overall survival of general population, 58.4% of people with colorectal cancer survived at the end of 2024 since their cancer diagnosed between 2019 and 2023.

Last Modified: May 15, 2026