Survival rates are given as a percent. For example, the 15-year survival rate for localized prostate cancer treated with prostatectomy is 92 percent.
This means that 92 percent of the men with localized prostate cancer treated with prostatectomy are alive at 15 years. This number can also be expressed as follows: For every 100 men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer and treated with prostatectomy, 92 of them will be alive 15 years after diagnosis. This also means that eight percent (or eight of the men) will have died before the 15-year mark.
Survival rates are determined through statistical data gathered on many people, allowing your health care professional a "feeling" about your diagnosis. It cannot guarantee or predict the outcome of your particular situation.
