New national data shows that survival for people with leukemia has improved significantly over the past several decades. This data refers to leukemia collectively, rather than any one specific type. Rising survival rates reflect advances in diagnosis and treatment.

According to the American Cancer Society’s latest cancer statistics, the five-year relative survival rate for leukemia has risen steadily, reaching 67 percent for those diagnosed in recent years. This means 67 percent of people with leukemia are still alive five years after diagnosis, compared with people of the same age in the general population.

That’s a significant increase compared with the mid-1970s, when the five-year survival rate was 34 percent, and the mid-1990s, when the rate was 48 percent.

These gains mean that today, many people with leukemia are living longer than ever before. Although outcomes still vary widely between types of leukemia, advances in treatment have improved long-term outlooks for many people living with forms of the disease.

Why Survival Has Improved

Researchers point primarily to advances in leukemia treatment as the main reason survival has improved over time. The development of immunotherapies and targeted therapies — treatments designed to attack specific features of leukemia cells — has transformed care for some types of leukemia and led to dramatic gains in survival.

For example, according to the study, the five-year relative survival rate for chronic myeloid leukemia has more than tripled, from 22 percent in the mid-1970s to 70 percent for those diagnosed between 2014 and 2020. Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors offer most people with CML near-normal life expectancy, researchers noted.

Learn more about treatment options for leukemia.

What Affects Leukemia Survival?

It’s difficult to predict the prognosis (outlook) for leukemia because each individual’s experience is different. According to Cleveland Clinic, prognosis depends on several factors, including:

• The type of leukemia a person has
• Genetic mutations (changes) in leukemia cells
• A person’s age and overall health at diagnosis
• Blood cell counts
• How well the leukemia responds to treatment
• Whether leukemia cells are found in the central nervous system

Because these factors vary from person to person, your healthcare provider is the best source for understanding how leukemia may affect your individual outlook. Talking with your cancer care team can help clarify what these factors mean for treatment and long-term outcomes.

What This Means for People Living With Leukemia

If you’re living with leukemia, these survival trends may offer reassurance that treatment options and outcomes are improving over time. Still, decisions about treatment and follow-up care are personal. Work with your cancer care team to make a plan that fits your situation.

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