relative survival rate
(rel-uh-tiv sir-vy-vul rayte)
A particular way to measure survival. In cancer, the rate is calculated after removing all causes of death except cancer and then figuring the survival rate in the patients with cancer. The rate is figured at specific time intervals, such as 2 years and 5 years after diagnosis.
Read about breast cancer statistics, or read studies in Breastcancer.org's Research News.
Audio contributed by: Marisa Weiss, M.D.