Every scientist will warn you that statistics are only accurate when applied to very large groups of people and worse than useless when applied to individuals. My own warning is that there are an awful lot of out of date statistics on the internet. Survival rates are generally improving year on year. None of us are average and the statistics cover everyone with a diagnosis regardless of their age, fitness levels, weight and pre-existing conditions such as heart conditions, diabetes or a history of strokes or dementia.
Here’s an example of why statistics shouldn’t be applied to individuals. When I was first diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the oesophagus, I put my oncologist on the spot and asked what the survival rate was for such a late diagnosis and was told 5% for 2 years and 3% for 5 years. He also said that the longer I lived past 5 years, the higher the chances of becoming a long term survivor. I was 55 at the time but agreed to give chemo a try despite the chances of survival apparently being relatively low. I am now 65.
Since my diagnosis, survival rates have improved significantly.
