Cancer in United States

United States

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States. The American Cancer Society’s latest Cancer Facts & Figures report estimates that there will be more than 2 million new cancer diagnoses in 2025. Among women, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, accounting for 32% of new cases. Among men, it is prostate cancer, which accounts for 30% of new cases. 

The most significant risk factor for cancer is aging — half of all new cancer diagnoses occur in adults age 66 and older. Other cancer risks include cigarette and tobacco use, environmental carcinogens, genetic factors and viral and bacterial infections. 

In 2020, the annual cost of cancer care in the U.S. was approximately $200 billion. That number is expected to rise to $246 billion by 2030. In addition, the estimated cost of lost productivity due to cancer mortality in 2020 was $147.6 billion.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of cancer is higher among: 

• Women compared with men.
• Adults age 65 and older, who have a prevalence more than eleven times that of adults ages 18-44.
• White adults, who have a prevalence more than four times that of Asian adults.
• Adults with some post-high school education compared with those who have less than a high school education. 
• Adults with an annual household income of $50,000 to $74,999 compared with those who have incomes of $150,000 or more. 
• Adults living in nonmetropolitan areas compared with those in metropolitan areas.
• Adults who have difficulty hearing compared with adults without a disability. 
• Straight adults compared with lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBQ+) adults.
• Adults who have served in the U.S. armed forces compared with adults who have not served.

While there is no universal cure for cancer, rates of cancer and cancer deaths can be lowered through various means, including: 

• Lifestyle changes. Quitting smoking at any age lowers the risk of developing cancer — smoking is responsible for approximately 86% of lung cancers in the U.S. Engaging in more physical activity and reducing alcohol consumption are also associated with a lower risk of certain cancers. 
• Vaccinations. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine helps protect against cancers associated with HPV infection, and the hepatitis B vaccine can help reduce the risk of liver cancer.
• Screening. Routine recommended screening for different types of cancer can improve outcomes by detecting illness in its earlier stages, when it is easier to treat. 
• Using sunscreen. The risk of developing skin cancer (including melanoma, the most dangerous kind) can be reduced by avoiding direct sun exposure during peak hours, wearing hats, long sleeves and sunglasses and using sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. 

Increasing access to health services for prevention, early detection and high-quality cancer treatment may help reduce racial and socioeconomic health disparities in cancer deaths. Information on specific screening, counseling and prevention recommendations for cancer are available from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the Community Guide.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple objectives related to cancer, including:

• Increasing screening rates for colorectal, lung, breast and cervical cancers.
• Reducing the overall cancer death rate.
• Increasing quality of life for cancer survivors.

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2025. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2025/2025-cancer-facts-and-figures-acs.pdf.

Bradley, Cathy J., K. Robin Yabroff, Bassam Dahman, Eric J. Feuer, Angela Mariotto, and Martin L. Brown. “Productivity Costs of Cancer Mortality in the United States: 2000–2020.” JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute 100, no. 24 (December 17, 2008): 1763–70. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djn384.

Chow, Ryan D., Elizabeth H. Bradley, and Cary P. Gross. “Comparison of Cancer-Related Spending and Mortality Rates in the US vs 21 High-Income Countries.” JAMA Health Forum 3, no. 5 (May 27, 2022): e221229. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.1229.

Joseph, Djenaba A. “Use of Evidence-Based Interventions to Address Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Screening.” MMWR Supplements 65, no. 1 (2016). https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su6501a5.

Mariotto, Angela B., Lindsey Enewold, Jingxuan Zhao, Christopher A. Zeruto, and K. Robin Yabroff. “Medical Care Costs Associated With Cancer Survivorship in the United States.” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 29, no. 7 (July 2020): 1304–12. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1534.

Murphy, Sherry L., Kenneth D. Kochanek, Jiaquan Xu, and Elizabeth Arias. Mortality in the United States, 2023. NCHS Data Brief No. 521. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, December 19, 2024. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc/170564.