Cancer Survivors in America Top 14.5 Million
As Americans mark National Cancer Survivors Day, a new report finds the number of survivors now exceeds 14.5 million people.
According to the American Cancer Society, that number is expected to grow to 19 million in the next decade.
The ACS report, released Sunday, shows two-thirds of today's cancer survivors were diagnosed at least five years ago, and 15 percent were diagnosed 20 or more years ago.
Among those survivors is Susan Hoffman of Knoxville, Tennessee, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010.
The mother of two said Herceptin, the first targeted medicine approved by the FDA, saved her life.
"If that hadn't been around, it probably would have returned," Hoffman told East Tennessee television station WBIR.
Hoffman, who had her last round of chemotherapy in 2011, is now encouraging others in their battle against cancer.
"That's something that I think as a survivor that I can do," she said. "To say you can get through this and that you will have a good life on the other side."
