Breast Cancer Survival

Survival is the most important benchmark for cancer treatment centers. If survival is below par, nothing else matters. Good cancer survival happens for many reasons, but always begins with a commitment to the measurement of outcomes. Since the Clinic was founded in 1992, we have always measured our outcomes, because in order to do better in the future, you have to know how you are doing now. 

Early-Stage Survival

Our 96.6% five-year survival for early stage breast cancer compares favorably to a five-year survival of 92.1% for women treated elsewhere in the United States. Sadly, only 88.4% of women treated elsewhere in the far North State can expect to be alive after 5 years. This finding is not extraordinary. Our survival is about the same as for women treated at California's university centers. This is the level of performance that we are striving for.

The dashed line represents the survival of women in the population without breast cancer (Henry J. Kaiser Foundation). As is true in most university centers, our survival for early-stage breast cancer is equivalent to the survival of the population as a whole. The early-stage breast cancers shown above were found through screening. This is why screening is so important. By the time women have a breast lump, or other symptom, their cancer is usually advanced. 

Advanced-Stage Survival

For our clients treated for an advanced stage cancer, our five-year survival is 87.8%. This compares very favorably with a five year survival of 79.3% for women treated elsewhere in the far North State.