Cancer Facts and Statistics

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in the United States. It is the 2nd leading cause of death from cancer among women. (Only lung cancer kills more women each year.)

This Facts & Figures report provides statistics about the occurrence of breast cancer, as well as about its risk factors, prevention, early detection, and treatment. 

The Hispanic/Latino population is the 2^nd largest racial/ethnic group in the United States. This Facts & Figures report provides statistics about cancer risk factors, screening, incidence, survival, and mortality for Hispanic/Latino people in the US.

African American and Black people have among the highest death rate and lowest survival of any racial/ethnic group in the US for most cancers. A new article in the American Cancer Society flagship journal, CA: A Journal for Clinicians provides the estimated numbers of new cancer cases and deaths for African American and Black people, as well as the most recent statistics on:

• Cancer occurrence
• Risk factors, such as tobacco use, obesity, and physical inactivity 
• The use of cancer screening tests

This inaugural report provides an overview of cancer occurrence, risk factors, and screening for disaggregated Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander groups in the United States.

Almost half of the deaths from cancer estimated to occur this year are expected to be linked to things people do every day—their lifestyles. The more we can influence people to make efforts to change harmful everyday habits that increase their chances of developing cancer, the more we help reduce the cancer death rate. Cancer screening tests can further help prevent thousands of additional cancer cases and deaths.

This report provides the latest information and statistics on the:

• Most common risk factors for cancer that can potentially be modified
  
• Preventative vaccinations
  
• Use of cancer screening tests 
  
• Social, economic, and public policy factors that profoundly influence a person’s behaviors
  

The number of Americans with a history of cancer is growing due to the aging and growth of the population, as well as improving survival rates. This comprehensive survivorship report, a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, provides current and projected cancer prevalence estimates for the United States.

It also includes data from the National Cancer Data Base on treatment patterns for the 3 most common types of cancer and how treatment is affected by race/ethnicity.

If you smoke and have been diagnosed with cancer in the last 24 months, you may be eligible to participate in a research study that will test a smartphone app to help you quit smoking.

This Facts & Figures report provides an overview of the international cancer burden for selected cancers, including the estimated numbers of new cases and deaths by level of development, geographic region, and sex.

The Cancer Atlas, created by The American Cancer Society, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Union for International Cancer Control, is a one-stop shop for all of the best global cancer data available and offers in-depth insights into the cancer burden, major risk factors, and ways leaders worldwide can take action.