General population life tables are used to calculate expected survival, representing survival for a comparable group of individuals free of cancer used in calculations of relative survival and crude probability of death statistics. These life tables are available and distributed with the SEER*Stat software. They represent the expected probabilities of surviving the interval conditional on being alive at the beginning of the interval and are generated from the U.S. mortality data.

We have two sets of life tables: SES/Geography/Race Annual, available for years 1992+, and the U.S. Annual, available from 1970 with less detail by race.

SES/Geography/Race Annual Life Tables

  • These are the default life tables for databases and survival calculations that only include people with cancer diagnosed 1992+.
  • Recommended for survival calculations by geography or by race/ethnicity groups other than All Races, White, and Black.
  • Available by sex, individual years 1992 through 2021, individual ages from 0-99 years, by mutually exclusive race/ethnicity groups (Non-Hispanic [NH] White, NH Black, NH American Indian/Alaskan Native, NH Asian and Pacific Islander, and Hispanics), and by varied geography.
  • SEER*Stat survival calculations use the All Races life tables for Non-Hispanic with Unknown race and the 2021 life tables for diagnoses and follow-up beyond 2021.

U.S. Annual Life Tables

  • These are the default life tables for databases and survival calculations that include people with cancer diagnosed prior to 1992.
  • Available by sex, individual years 1970 through 2021, individual ages from 0-99 years, and three races (White, Black, and Other [American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander]).
  • SEER*Stat survival calculations use the All Races life tables for Unknown race and the 2021 life tables for diagnoses and follow-up beyond 2021.

Important information about calculating expected survival using these life tables:

  • Neither set of life tables is recommended when producing statistics for Asian or Pacific Islander sub-groups.
  • Expected survival probability for the maximum age (99) will be used to represent expected survival for any age greater than the maximum age.

Life Table Methods

SES/Geography/Race Annual Life Tables

  • Poisson regression models on the logarithm of mortality rates were used to estimate life tables separately by sex, race, calendar year, and geography/socioeconomic status (SES). Age was modeled as a spline function. The geography and SES levels varied by race depending on sufficient death and population counts at each state and race.
    • For whites and all races combined, we developed models for each state, with county SES included as a covariate with 5 levels.
    • Models for other race groups varied including different model setups: state and no SES, state and 2-level SES.
    • For states with small populations for specific races, life tables were estimated using respective regions, with 5-level SES for Blacks and Hispanics, and national data with 2-level SES for Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indian/Alaska Natives.
    • For details, see Mariotto et al., 2018External Web Site Policy
  • 1992-2009 Life tables: We used 3-year grouped mortality rates (e.g., 1991–1993 for 1992, and 2007–2010 for 2009) to estimate tables for the years 1992-2009.
  • 2010-2021 Life tables: From 2010 onwards, the life tables have been updated to accommodate new intercensal populations. We revised the methodology, estimating each life table separately using respective mortality data (e.g., 2010 data for the 2010 life table). This adjustment facilitates easier updates as new mortality data becomes available and better captures changes in mortality, such as the impact of events like COVID-19 in 2020

U.S. Annual Life Tables

1970-2000 Life Tables

  • For Whites, Blacks, and All Races, we used published U.S. Decennial Life Tables from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) for 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000. Expected survival for individual years are interpolated from the decennial tables (years 1971-1979 from the 1970 and 1980 life tables, 1981-1989 from the 1980 and 1990 life tables, and 1991-1999 from the 1990 and 2000 tables). All Races Combined is used for calculation of expected survival for people with Unknown or Other Unspecified 1991+ race.
  • For Other (American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander) race, we generated the 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000 tables using standard methods for life table calculations with some modifications to incorporate information previously available on live births and 0-year old mortality counts broken down into <1 Day, 1-6 Days, 7-27 Days, and 28-364 Days. Similar interpolations were used to estimate life tables between the decennial years.

2001-2021 Life Tables

  • For 2001-2017, we used published NCHS U.S. Annual Life Tables for White, Black, and All Races Combined (used for Other Unspecified Race 1990+ and Unknown race). Starting with the 2018 life tables, NCHS stopped providing tables for White or Black. For 2018 and later, we have included the Non-Hispanic White and Non-Hispanic Black tables for White and Black respectively. All Races Combined was provided by NCHS.
  • We generated the tables for the Other (American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander) races category. Mortality rates for 2001-2018 with 3-year overlapping groups for each year (e.g., 2017-2019 for 2018) and single year for 2019-2021 were used to generate the expected survival for Other Races for 2001-2021.
  • The 2009-2020 Other Race life tables were updated using revised population estimates.

Documentation for the previous life tables through 2020 is also available.