Cancer - Women

Cancer - Women in United States

United States

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States. The rate of new cancer is higher among men while the prevalence of cancer is higher in females compared with males. Among women, breast cancer is the most common type, accounting for 30% of cases; however, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths.

The biggest risk factor for cancer is advancing age. Other cancer risks include tobacco use, environmental carcinogens, genetic factors and viral and bacterial infections. 

According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts & Figures 2021 report, there will be a reduction in new cancer diagnoses due to a decrease in screening and preventive care visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is expected to lead to an increase in cancer deaths over time due to delays in diagnosis and subsequent treatment. 

In 2020, the national cost of cancer care was projected to be $208.9 billion. Assuming the number of newly diagnosed people and the rate of survival remain constant, costs are expected to increase by nearly 34% by 2030.

The prevalence of cancer is higher among: 

• Women ages 35-44 than those ages 18-24.
• Women with less than a college degree compared with college graduates.
• Women with a household income less than $25,000 compared with those with higher household incomes.
• American Indian/Alaska Native, multiracial and non-Hispanic white women compared with non-Hispanic Black and Asian women.

While there is no universal cure, some cancers can be prevented through various means including: 

• Lifestyle changes: Quitting smoking at any age will lower the risk of developing cancer. Smoking is responsible for approximately 19% of cancers. Engaging in more physical activity and reducing alcohol consumption are also associated with lower risk of certain cancers.
• Vaccination: Incidence of cervical and other cancers can be reduced through vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV). Additionally, the hepatitis B vaccine can help reduce the risk of liver cancer.
• Screening: Many cancers are treatable when detected early through screening. Routine screening for breast, cervical and colon cancer can improve outcomes by detecting cancer in earlier stages. The significant reduction in breast cancer death rates in the last 30 years has been attributed to both early screening and advances in treatment. Cervical cancer incidence rates have also been reduced by half since the 1970s due largely to Pap smear screening.

Information on specific screening, counseling and prevention recommendations for cancer are available from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple objectives related to cancer, including reducing the overall cancer death rate and increasing the proportion of women who are screened for cervical cancer.

American Cancer Society. “Cancer Facts & Figures 2021.” Atlanta, GA, 2021. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2021/cancer-facts-and-figures-2021.pdf.

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.