Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnnual Cases and DeathsCancer RiskMortality RateSurvival RateCancer Trends
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Annual Cases and Deaths
Cancer Risk
Mortality Rate
Survival Rate
Cancer Trends
The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the leading source of information about the incidence ofcancerand survival in the United States. The program, founded in 1973, collects and publishes data from population-based cancer registries covering around one-third of the U.S. population.In 2017, an estimated 15,760,939 Americans are living with cancer (or roughly 20% of the U.S. population). The data is further broken down to monitor cancer incidence, prevalence, and trends.
JESPER KLAUSEN / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Images
Cancer prevalence is the number of people who have ever been diagnosed with the disease on a certain date. This number includes past and recent diagnoses. On the other hand, yearly cancer incidence is the number of new cancers that occur among a specified population during a year. It is expressed as the number of cancers per 100,000 population at risk.
The National Cancer Institute estimated that in 2020, 1,806,590 new cancer cases would be diagnosed and that 606,520 new deaths from cancer would occur.The rate of new cases of any type of cancer was 442.4 per 100,000 people per year, and the death rate was 155.5 per 100,000 people per year.
The Most Common Cancer in the U.S.
Three Most Common Cancers Diagnosed in Men and WomenProstate,lung, andcolorectal cancersmade up 43% of all cancers diagnosed in men in 2020. For women, the three most common cancers werebreast, lung, and colorectal, accounting for an estimated 50% of all new cancer diagnoses in women in 2020.
Three Most Common Cancers Diagnosed in Men and Women
Prostate,lung, andcolorectal cancersmade up 43% of all cancers diagnosed in men in 2020. For women, the three most common cancers werebreast, lung, and colorectal, accounting for an estimated 50% of all new cancer diagnoses in women in 2020.
Cancer affects certain racial and ethnic groups disproportionately, largely because of a lack of access to health care, which results in late diagnoses and inadequate treatment. As a result, there is a higher rate of cancer deaths within these groups. This is known as cancer disparities or cancer health disparities.For example, Black men have a higher incidence of prostate cancer compared with white men, and Black women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than white women.
The risk of cancer increases with age, and cancer typically affects older people. The median age of being diagnosed with cancer is 66 years old.This is the case for many cancer types. For breast cancer, the median age of diagnosis is 61; colorectal cancer is 68; 70 for lung cancer; and 66 for prostate cancer.
The cancer mortality rate, also known as the cancer death rate, is the number of deaths out of 100,000 in one year. It is expressed as the number of deaths due to cancer per 100,000 population.
For men of all races, the death rate was 185.5 per 100,000. For women of all races, it was 113.5 per 100,000.
Certain races and ethnic groups in the United States who are at a disadvantage socially, environmentally, and economically carry the brunt of cancer deaths. Factors that contribute to the high numbers include low health literacy, lack of health insurance, and limited access to care. In general, the probability of a late-stage diagnosis is greater for people who have no access to reliable health care.According to mortality trends within racial and ethnic groups, Black men and women have the highest cancer rates, whereas Asians and Pacific Islanders have the lowest cancer death rates.
Aging increases the risk of cancer due to an accumulation of risks as well as a decline in cell repair mechanisms with age.The National Cancer Institute reports that the percentage of any cancer deaths is higher in the age group of 65 to 75, with the median age of death being 72 years.
The current five-year survival rate for all cancers is 67.4%.This number refers to the percentage of people in a study or treatment group who are still alive five years after they were diagnosed or started treatment for a condition.
For each type of cancer, five-year survival rates are used for each stage to determine survival. The SEER program breaks down the stages into the following categories:
The five-year relative survival rate for lung cancer is 20.5%, but the relative five-year survival rate is different for each stage of lung cancer.
What Survival Rate Really Means With Cancer
Number of Cancer Survivors in the United States
One contributing factor is smoking, which can double the risk of pancreatic cancer. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are to blame as well. Having abody mass index(BMI) between 30 and 35, coupled with diabetes or prediabetes, high blood pressure, and taking cholesterol-lowering medication, significantly increases the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Liver cancer is also on the rise. The most common risk factor for liver cancer is long-term infection withhepatitis Borhepatitis C. Hepatitis infection can lead tocirrhosis of the liver, which is linked to an increased risk of liver cancer.
The role of trending is to identify vulnerable populations in order to direct public health resources. It is also used to track the overall efficacy of health interventions, whether structural or medical.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes
BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.
Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes
A Word From Verywell
Rest assured that when you review statistics for cancer, they don’t necessarily indicate your personal risk of cancer. To reduce your risk of cancer, education is key. Learn the signs and symptoms of the most common cancers, and make positive lifestyle changes to reduce your chances of getting cancer if you smoke, eat a poor diet, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, or have a sedentary lifestyle.
Never put off screenings just because you have no family history or you’re in excellent health. Get the appropriate screenings and the recommended vaccinations. An early diagnosis is potentially a life-saver with a greater chance of survival.
22 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Overview of the SEER program.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: cancer of any site.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer incidence rates.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Common cancer types.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer statistics.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: cancer disparities.National Cancer Institute.Cancer disparities.National Cancer Institute.Age and cancer risk.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer mortality rates.World Health Organization.Cancer.National Cancer Institute.Five-year survival rate.National Cancer Institute.Relative survival rate.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Summary staging.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 0: in situ.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 1: localized.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Summary stage code structure.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 7: distant.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: lung and bronchus cancer.Scientific American.Why pancreatic cancer is on the rise.American Cancer Society.Liver cancer risk factors.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: pancreatic cancer.
22 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Overview of the SEER program.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: cancer of any site.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer incidence rates.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Common cancer types.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer statistics.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: cancer disparities.National Cancer Institute.Cancer disparities.National Cancer Institute.Age and cancer risk.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer mortality rates.World Health Organization.Cancer.National Cancer Institute.Five-year survival rate.National Cancer Institute.Relative survival rate.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Summary staging.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 0: in situ.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 1: localized.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Summary stage code structure.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 7: distant.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: lung and bronchus cancer.Scientific American.Why pancreatic cancer is on the rise.American Cancer Society.Liver cancer risk factors.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: pancreatic cancer.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Overview of the SEER program.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: cancer of any site.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer incidence rates.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Common cancer types.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer statistics.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: cancer disparities.National Cancer Institute.Cancer disparities.National Cancer Institute.Age and cancer risk.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer mortality rates.World Health Organization.Cancer.National Cancer Institute.Five-year survival rate.National Cancer Institute.Relative survival rate.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Summary staging.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 0: in situ.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 1: localized.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Summary stage code structure.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 7: distant.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: lung and bronchus cancer.Scientific American.Why pancreatic cancer is on the rise.American Cancer Society.Liver cancer risk factors.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: pancreatic cancer.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Overview of the SEER program.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: cancer of any site.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer incidence rates.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Common cancer types.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer statistics.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: cancer disparities.
National Cancer Institute.Cancer disparities.
National Cancer Institute.Age and cancer risk.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer mortality rates.
World Health Organization.Cancer.
National Cancer Institute.Five-year survival rate.
National Cancer Institute.Relative survival rate.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Summary staging.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 0: in situ.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 1: localized.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Summary stage code structure.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Code 7: distant.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: lung and bronchus cancer.
Scientific American.Why pancreatic cancer is on the rise.
American Cancer Society.Liver cancer risk factors.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: female breast cancer.
National Cancer Institute: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.Cancer stat facts: pancreatic cancer.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
