There are 18.1 million cancer survivors in 2020 across the United States 30 percent more than 2010. *
“Every day Americans hear the dreaded words, you have cancer. Fortunately many will survive, which is good news that needs to be shared.”
Jesse Slome, director of the American Association of Critical Illness Insurance
CANCER SURVIVAL 2020: Critical Illness Awareness Month News. October 5, 2020: There are 18.1 million cancer survivors in the United States (2020 statistic). This marks a 30 percent increase from the number in 2010.
“Every day Americans hear the dreaded words, you have cancer,” explains Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, “Fortunately many will survive, which is good news that needs to be shared.”
Data produced by the National Cancer Institute reports the significant increase in the number of cancer survivors. The government entity acknowledges that population growth and the aging of the U.S. population are the primary causes of the increase.
Number of Cancer Survivors
The study looked at cancer survival across 18 types of cancer. The five largest based on the total number of survivors include:
Breast (female) 4,275,000
Prostate 3,108,000
Melanoma 1,971,000
Colorectal 1,327,000
Lymphoma 803,000
For the five largest blocks, the following was the percentage change compared to 2010:
Breast (female) 24%
Prostate 34%
Melanoma 61%
Colorectal 9%
Lymphoma 26%
Breast cancer awareness and planning is paramount for women
“In 2020, some 270,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer,” explains Slome, director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. “More than half of these women will be between ages 50 and 69 and they will survive but their lives and financial situation may be greatly impacted.”
“Women in their 40s and 50s need to take steps to financially plan for this very real risk,” Slome notes. “Many women will face bills for medical care that is not covered by their health insurance. Plus, it’s likely that one will take time off from work. A modest cancer insurance policy purchased in your 40s or even 50s can cover those uncovered costs and replace lost income while one undergoes treatment and recovery time.”
Cancer Cost Calculator shows cost for $10,000 of cancer insurance
The American Association for Critical Illness insurance provides a Cost Calculator that gives a pretty accurate example of costs for $10,000 or cancer insurance protection. A policy like this would pay $10,000 as a lump-sum cash payment following a cancer diagnosis. With many companies dropping benefits it is important to compare this. If you are offered employer critical illness insurance coverage at work this year, use the cost calculator to compare costs.
Source: National Cancer Institute
Photo Credit: Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
Cancer survival 2020: Access other cancer facts and data on the Association’s website.
