Today marks the 38th annual National Cancer Survivors Day® (NCSD), a day intended to honor those who are living with a history of cancer. The NCSD Foundation, which first established NCSD in 1988, continues to play a crucial role in this annual event. Celebrating each year on the first Sunday in June, NCSD aims to empower all cancer survivors and spread the message that life after cancer can still be fulfilling!
The NCSD website promotes today’s “CELEBRATION for those who have survived, an INSPIRATION for those recently diagnosed, a gathering of SUPPORT for families, and an OUTREACH to the community.”
So, what actually makes an individual a cancer survivor? According to the NCSD foundation, a cancer survivor includes anyone living with a history of cancer. The designation begins with diagnosis and remains through the rest of the survivor’s life. Cancer survivors can have received their diagnosis recently, they may be in long-term remission, or they could have been declared cancer-free following treatment.
As of January 1, 2025, an estimated 18.6 million cancer survivors lived in the United States. This number is a testament to the advancements in cancer treatment and care. Experts estimate this number will increase to 22 million by 2035. Among males, cancer survivors most commonly faced prostate cancer, melanoma, and colorectal cancer. Breast, uterine, and thyroid cancers remain the most common malignancies associated with female cancer survivors.
Fifty-one percent of cancer survivors received their diagnosis in the last ten years. This statistic provides an encouraging data point as it translates to about half of the cancer survivors in the United States having lived with a history of cancer for over ten years.
On this special day, I’d like to congratulate all of the cancer survivors who support Labroots personally! I’d also encourage our readers to reach out to the cancer survivors among your friends and family today and recognize the milestones they have reached. Let's not forget the challenges they have overcome!
Sources: CA J Clin
