Risk is stratified in cancer patients. Based on decades of data available on cancer patients, we oncology practitioners can provide a clinical and actuarial assessment of a patient’s risk of complications, relapse, or death from cancer or cancer treatment. This capability to learn from the experience has enhanced our ability to predict outcome and to mitigate the likelihood of negative outcomes in cancer patients. We have developed a clearer understanding of how age, stage, performance status, ethnicity, availability of insurance, and tumor and treatment characteristics might influence patient outcomes. This experience and the remarkable technology available to us have provided us with abundant insight into many aspects of cancer treatment. Tough more work remains, we have already come so far…
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