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Statistics at a Glance

At a Glance

Breast, lung and bronchus, prostate, and colorectal cancers account for almost 50% of all new cancer cases in the United States. Lung and bronchus, colorectal, pancreatic, and breast cancers are responsible for nearly 50% of all deaths.

New Cancer Cases, 2024
Breast 313,510 (16%)
Prostate 299,010 (15%)
Lung & Bronchus 234,580 (12%)
Colon and rectum 152,810 (8%)
Other 1,001,230 (50%)
Cancer Deaths, 2024
Lung & Bronchus 125,070 (20%)
Colon and rectum 53,010 (9%)
Pancreas 51,750 (8%)
Breast 42,780 (7%)
Other 339,110 (55%)

How Many People Are Diagnosed with Cancer Each Year?

In 2024, roughly 2.0 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States. An estimated 310,720 women and 2,790 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, which makes it the most common cancer diagnosis. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer diagnosis among men and the second most common diagnosis overall with 299,010 expected cases. Lung and bronchus cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosis with an estimated 234,580 new cases.

The top 12 most common cancer sites, shown below, will account for more than three quarters of all new cancer cases. For more cancer sites, see How Do Cancer Rates Compare?

Male
Breast 2,790
Prostate 299,010
Lung & Bronchus 116,310
Colorectal 81,540
Melanoma of the Skin 59,170
Urinary Bladder 63,070
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 44,590
Kidney and Renal Pelvis 52,380
Uterus 0
Leukemia 36,450
Pancreas 34,530
Thyroid 12,500
Female
Breast 310,720
Prostate 0
Lung & Bronchus 118,270
Colorectal 71,270
Melanoma of the Skin 41,470
Urinary Bladder 20,120
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 36,030
Kidney and Renal Pelvis 29,230
Corpus & Uterus, NOS 67,880
Leukemia 26,320
Pancreas 31,910
Thyroid 31,520

Source: Cancer Facts & Figures 2024, American Cancer Society (ACS), Atlanta, Georgia, 2024.

How Many People Die of Cancer Each Year?

In 2024, an estimated 611,720 people will die of cancer in the United States. Lung and bronchus cancer is responsible for the most deaths with 125,070 people expected to die from this disease. That is nearly three times the 53,010 deaths due to colorectal cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death. Pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest cancer, causing 51,750 deaths.

The eight deadliest cancer sites, shown below, will account for almost two-thirds of all expected cancer deaths. For more cancer sites, see How Do Cancer Rates Compare?

Male
Lung and bronchus 65,790
Colon and rectum 28,700
Pancreas 27,270
Breast 530
Prostate 35,250
Liver & Intrahepatic Bile Duct 19,120
Leukemia 13,640
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 11,780
Female
Lung and bronchus 59,280
Colon and rectum 24,310
Pancreas 24,480
Breast 42,250
Prostate 0
Liver & Intrahepatic Bile Duct 10,720
Leukemia 10,030
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 8,360

Source: Cancer Facts & Figures 2024, American Cancer Society (ACS), Atlanta, Georgia, 2024.

New Cases, Deaths, and Survival

How Do Cancer Rates Compare?

For comparison purposes, new cases and deaths are generally expressed as a rate — the number per 100,000 in the total population. The rate of new cases is known as cancer incidence, and the death rate as mortality. Note that total population changes depending on what group you are looking at, so, for instance, the rate of new cases for females is the rate per 100,000 females in the U.S.

The table below gives the predicted number of new cases and deaths in 2024, the age-adjusted rate of new cases and deaths over the most recent five years of data, and the five-year relative survival rate, representing the percent surviving their cancer diagnosis 5-years after diagnosis.

You can sort on any column by clicking the header.

Site Estimated New Cases (2024) Rate of New Cases (2017–2021) Estimated Deaths (2024) Death Rate (2018–2022) Relative Survival (%) (2014–2020)
Anus 10,540 1.9 2,190 0.4 70.6
Bladder 83,190 18.2 16,840 4.1 78.4
Bone and Joint 3,970 1.0 2,050 0.5 68.2
Brain and Other Nervous System 25,400 6.2 18,760 4.4 33.4
Breast 313,510 68.4 42,780 10.6 91.1
Cervix Uteri 13,820 7.6 4,360 2.2 67.4
Colon and Rectum 152,810 36.5 53,010 12.9 65.0
Esophagus 22,370 4.2 16,130 3.7 21.6
Hodgkin Lymphoma 8,570 2.5 910 0.3 88.9
Kidney and Renal Pelvis 81,610 17.2 14,390 3.4 78.1
Larynx 12,650 2.6 3,880 0.9 61.5
Leukemia 62,770 14.1 23,670 5.9 67.0
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct 41,630 9.4 29,840 6.6 21.7
Lung and Bronchus 234,580 49.0 125,070 32.4 26.7
Melanoma of the Skin 100,640 21.2 8,290 2.0 94.1
Myeloma 35,780 7.2 12,540 3.0 61.1
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 80,620 18.6 20,140 5.0 74.3
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 58,450 11.5 12,230 2.6 69.0
Ovary 19,680 10.2 12,740 6.0 50.9
Pancreas 66,440 13.5 51,750 11.2 12.8
Prostate 299,010 116.5 35,250 19.0 97.5
Small Intestine 12,440 2.5 2,090 0.4 70.2
Stomach 26,890 7.0 10,880 2.7 36.4
Testis 9,760 5.9 500 0.3 95.0
Thyroid 44,020 13.5 2,170 0.5 98.4
Uterus 67,880 28.0 13,250 5.2 80.8
Vulva 6,900 2.6 1,630 0.6 69.6
Site Estimated New Cases (2024) Rate of New Cases (2017–2021) Estimated Deaths (2024) Death Rate (2018–2022) Relative Survival (%) (2014–2020)
Anus 7,180 2.3 1,190 0.4 74.2
Bladder 20,120 7.8 4,550 2.0 74.6
Bone and Joint 1,700 0.9 950 0.4 71.2
Brain and Other Nervous System 10,980 5.2 8,070 3.6 35.6
Breast 310,720 129.4 42,250 19.3 91.2
Cervix Uteri 13,820 7.6 4,360 2.2 67.4
Colon and Rectum 71,270 32.0 24,310 10.8 65.9
Esophagus 4,680 1.7 3,250 1.4 23.3
Hodgkin Lymphoma 3,940 2.2 360 0.2 90.3
Kidney and Renal Pelvis 29,230 11.9 4,940 2.1 79.4
Larynx 2,620 1.0 760 0.3 58.1
Leukemia 26,320 11.0 10,030 4.4 67.0
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct 13,630 5.3 10,720 4.2 22.4
Lung and Bronchus 118,270 44.8 59,280 27.6 31.0
Melanoma of the Skin 41,470 16.9 2,860 1.3 95.4
Myeloma 16,260 5.9 5,520 2.4 61.1
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 36,030 15.5 8,360 3.7 76.2
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 16,940 6.4 3,530 1.4 70.0
Ovary 19,680 10.2 12,740 6.0 50.9
Pancreas 31,910 12.0 24,480 9.8 13.0
Prostate - - - - -
Small Intestine 5,710 2.2 940 0.4 71.2
Stomach 10,730 5.4 4,390 2.0 41.7
Testis - - - - -
Thyroid 31,520 19.8 1,180 0.5 98.9
Uterus 67,880 28.0 13,250 5.2 80.8
Vulva 6,900 2.6 1,630 0.6 69.6
Site Estimated New Cases (2024) Rate of New Cases (2017–2021) Estimated Deaths (2024) Death Rate (2018–2022) Relative Survival (%) (2014–2020)
Anus 3,360 1.6 1,000 0.3 64.3
Bladder 63,070 31.6 12,290 7.1 79.5
Bone and Joint 2,270 1.2 1,100 0.6 65.8
Brain and Other Nervous System 14,420 7.2 10,690 5.3 31.6
Breast 2,790 1.2 530 0.3 84.1
Cervix Uteri - - - - -
Colon and Rectum 81,540 41.8 28,700 15.4 64.2
Esophagus 17,690 7.1 12,880 6.5 21.1
Hodgkin Lymphoma 4,630 2.8 550 0.3 87.7
Kidney and Renal Pelvis 52,380 23.4 9,450 5.1 77.4
Larynx 10,030 4.5 3,120 1.6 62.4
Leukemia 36,450 17.9 13,640 7.8 67.0
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct 28,000 14.0 19,120 9.5 21.4
Lung and Bronchus 116,310 54.9 65,790 38.7 22.5
Melanoma of the Skin 59,170 27.1 5,430 3.0 93.0
Myeloma 19,520 8.7 7,020 3.8 61.1
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 44,590 22.5 11,780 6.5 72.6
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 41,510 17.1 8,700 4.0 68.6
Ovary - - - - -
Pancreas 34,530 15.4 27,270 12.9 12.6
Prostate 299,010 116.5 35,250 19.0 97.5
Small Intestine 6,730 2.9 1,150 0.5 69.2
Stomach 16,160 9.1 6,490 3.6 32.9
Testis 9,760 5.9 500 0.3 95.0
Thyroid 12,500 7.2 990 0.5 96.6
Uterus - - - - -
Vulva - - - - -

How Do the Most Common Cancers Compare by Race/Ethnicity?

The rate and type of cancer diagnosis varies significantly by race and ethnicity. The graph below shows the age-adjusted rate of new cases, by race and ethnicity, for the four most commonly diagnosed cancers.

Site All Races Hispanic NH AI/AN NH API NH Black NH White
Female Breast 129.4 101.2 113.0 110.3 129.3 139.0
Colon and rectum 36.5 33.5 49.2 29.4 42.1 36.9
Lung & Bronchus 49.0 26.0 49.2 33.7 52.5 55.4
Prostate 116.5 88.1 76.7 61.4 188.7 114.9

Age-adjusted rates of new cases, SEER 22, 2017–2021
aNon-Hispanic, b Asian & Pacific Islander, c American Indian/Alaska Native

Cancer death rates, or mortality rates, also vary significantly by race and ethnicity. The graph below shows the age-adjusted death rate, by race and ethnicity, for the five most deadly cancers.

Site All Races Hispanic NH AI/AN NH API NH Black NH White
Female Breast 19.3 13.7 17.8 11.9 26.8 19.4
Colon and rectum 12.9 10.7 17.4 9.1 16.7 12.9
Lung & Bronchus 32.4 14.6 33.3 18.7 34.3 35.4
Pancreas 11.2 8.9 10.6 7.7 13.6 11.4
Prostate 19.0 15.4 19.4 8.8 37.2 18.1

Age-adjusted death rates, U.S., 2018–2022
aNon-Hispanic, b Asian & Pacific Islander, c American Indian/Alaska Native

Trends in Rates

What Are the Recent Trends in Rates of New Cancer Cases?

Between 2017 and 2021, the overall age-adjusted rate of new cancers remained stable among men and remained stable among women. During this period, eight of the 19 most common cancers in men and nine of the 21 most common cancers in women showed statistically significant decreases in new cases. For both men and women, lung and bronchus cancer showed the greatest decrease.

Trends In New Cases
Male
Prostate 3.3*
Melanoma of the Skin 1.0*
Pancreas 0.9*
Kidney and Renal Pelvis 0.8*
Stomach 0.7
Testis 0.7*
Myeloma 0.6*
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 0.6*
Leukemia 0.1
All Sites 0.0
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct -0.4
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma -0.4*
Esophagus -0.5
Colon and Rectum -1.0*
Thyroid -1.1*
Hodgkin Lymphoma -1.2*
Bladder -1.3*
Brain and Other Nervous System -1.3*
Larynx -2.8*
Lung and Bronchus -3.7*
Female
Stomach 3.3*
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct 1.7*
Breast 1.4*
Myeloma 1.4*
Uterus 1.3*
Melanoma of the Skin 1.2
Pancreas 0.9*
Kidney and Renal Pelvis 0.8*
All Sites 0.7
Leukemia 0.6*
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 0.6*
Esophagus 0.0
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma -0.4*
Brain and Other Nervous System -0.5*
Cervix Uteri -0.7
Colon and Rectum -0.7*
Hodgkin Lymphoma -0.9*
Bladder -1.3*
Ovary -1.5*
Thyroid -2.1*
Larynx -2.3*
Lung and Bronchus -2.3*

What Are the Recent Trends in Cancer Death Rates?

Between 2018 and 2022, overall age-adjusted death rate decreased on average 1.9 percent per year for men and 1.3 percent for women. During this period, thirteen of the 19 most common cancers in men and twelve of the 21 most common cancers in women showed statistically significant decreases in death rates. Testicular cancer showed the greatest increase in death rates among men. Uterine cancer showed the greatest increase in death rates among women.

Trends In Death Rates
Male
Testis 4.6*
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 0.8*
Pancreas 0.3*
Prostate -0.6*
Thyroid -0.6
Larynx -0.7
Brain and Other Nervous System -0.9
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct -1.2*
Colon and Rectum -1.3*
Esophagus -1.3*
Bladder -1.5*
Kidney and Renal Pelvis -1.5*
Melanoma of the Skin -1.5*
All Sites -1.9*
Leukemia -2.0*
Myeloma -2.1*
Stomach -2.5*
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma -2.6*
Hodgkin Lymphoma -2.8*
Lung and Bronchus -4.5*
Female
Uterus 1.1*
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 0.9*
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct 0.7*
Pancreas 0.2
Thyroid 0.1
Brain and Other Nervous System -0.5
Cervix Uteri -0.7*
Esophagus -0.8
Melanoma of the Skin -0.9
Hodgkin Lymphoma -1.2
All Sites -1.3*
Breast -1.5*
Bladder -1.6*
Kidney and Renal Pelvis -1.6*
Colon and Rectum -1.8*
Leukemia -1.8*
Stomach -1.8*
Myeloma -2.0*
Larynx -2.2*
Ovary -2.4*
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma -2.5*
Lung and Bronchus -3.4*

Additional Information

Average annual percent change (AAPC) is the year-to-year change averaged over a period of time, in this case, 5 years. Positive AAPC describes an increasing trend and a negative AAPC a decreasing one.

Cancer in Context

How Does Cancer Compare to Other Causes of Death?

Cancer caused 18.5% of all deaths in the United States in 2022. Deaths due to heart disease and cancer caused nearly half of all deaths in the United States. Cancer is the leading cause of death for those under 65 years of age.

Leading Causes of Death in the U.S., 2022
Heart Disease 702,853
Cancer 608,366
Accidents (Unintentional Injury) 227,020
Chronic Lower Respiratory 147,380
Stroke (Cerebrovascular) 165,391
Alzheimer's 120,122
Diabetes 101,207
Nephritis & Nephrosis 57,937
Pneumonia & Influenze 47,051
Intentional Self-Harm (Suicide) 49,473

What Are the U.S. Death Rates?

In the United States, heart disease death rates have decreased for people of all ages. In 1975, heart disease among those less than 65 caused 26% of deaths, compared to 16% in 2022. In those over 65, heart disease caused 44% of deaths in 1975, compared to 23% in 2022.

Neoplasms have slightly decreased for people of all ages. In 1975, neoplasms for those less than 65 accounted for 22% of deaths in the United States, compared to 18% in 2022. In those over 65, neoplasms caused 18% of deaths in 1975, compared to 19% in 2022.

Ages <65
Year Heart Disease Cancer
Rate Per 100,000 % of Total Deaths Rate Per 100,000 % of Total Deaths
1975 98.6 26 84.0 22
1976 95.9 26 84.3 23
1977 92.6 26 84.3 23
1978 90.4 26 84.2 24
1979 88.3 26 83.3 24
1980 86.9 26 83.7 24
1981 84.9 26 82.8 25
1982 82.0 26 83.0 26
1983 80.7 26 82.7 26
1984 78.3 25 83.3 26
1985 76.6 25 83.2 26
1986 74.0 24 82.2 26
1987 71.5 23 81.7 26
1988 69.1 22 81.3 26
1989 65.1 21 80.5 26
1990 62.4 21 80.1 26
1991 61.0 20 79.2 26
1992 59.7 20 77.4 26
1993 59.5 20 76.2 26
1994 57.8 20 75.0 26
1995 56.9 20 73.4 25
1996 55.5 20 71.7 26
1997 53.4 21 69.7 27
1998 51.4 20 67.9 27
1999 49.4 20 66.9 27
2000 47.7 19 65.5 27
2001 46.6 19 64.9 26
2002 46.3 19 63.7 26
2003 45.3 19 62.3 26
2004 43.1 19 60.4 26
2005 42.6 18 59.7 26
2006 41.5 18 58.5 26
2007 40.0 18 56.9 26
2008 39.5 18 55.8 26
2009 38.3 18 55.3 26
2010 37.4 18 54.2 27
2011 37.0 18 53.4 26
2012 36.8 18 52.9 26
2013 36.8 18 51.8 26
2014 36.9 18 51.3 25
2015 37.1 18 50.3 25
2016 37.2 17 49.4 24
2017 36.9 17 47.9 23
2018 36.9 17 46.8 23
2019 36.4 17 45.6 22
2020 40.2 16 44.8 18
2021 40.9 15 44.2 16
2022 39.0 16 43.6 18
Ages 65+
Year Heart Disease Cancer
Rate Per 100,000 % of Total Deaths Rate Per 100,000 % of Total Deaths
1975 2734.9 44 995.2 18
1976 2747.4 44 1018.3 18
1977 2656.3 44 1023.3 19
1978 2643.2 44 1035.4 19
1979 2595.8 45 1042.7 19
1980 2652.4 44 1059.1 19
1981 2568.9 44 1060.7 20
1982 2524.7 44 1074.6 20
1983 2532.4 44 1083.5 20
1984 2468.6 43 1093.0 20
1985 2449.2 42 1097.2 20
1986 2389.6 42 1107.5 21
1987 2333.4 41 1111.8 21
1988 2321.1 40 1120.3 21
1989 2184.9 39 1139.1 22
1990 2102.7 39 1147.4 22
1991 2054.6 38 1154.0 23
1992 1995.9 38 1153.7 23
1993 2027.9 37 1161.8 22
1994 1954.3 37 1157.0 23
1995 1927.5 36 1153.6 22
1996 1878.5 36 1142.2 22
1997 1828.4 35 1128.5 22
1998 1791.7 35 1119.6 22
1999 1766.3 34 1125.9 22
2000 1698.3 33 1119.8 22
2001 1648.2 32 1104.4 22
2002 1611.1 32 1097.2 22
2003 1551.7 31 1079.7 22
2004 1449.7 30 1060.8 22
2005 1415.4 30 1053.2 22
2006 1333.7 29 1036.1 22
2007 1268.7 28 1025.1 22
2008 1240.5 28 1009.5 22
2009 1174.6 27 989.8 22
2010 1144.2 27 984.6 22
2011 1117.6 26 968.7 22
2012 1095.4 26 955.2 22
2013 1095.5 26 939.5 21
2014 1075.7 25 929.8 22
2015 1090.5 25 918.4 21
2016 1067.0 25 903.0 21
2017 1068.4 25 888.2 21
2018 1059.9 25 869.9 21
2019 1047.7 25 854.3 21
2020 1074.6 22 842.5 18
2021 1052.2 22 835.2 18
2022 1055.0 23 821.9 19

Interactive Statistics with SEER*Explorer

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SEER*Explorer is an interactive website that provides easy access to a wide range of SEER cancer statistics. It provides detailed statistics for a cancer site by gender, race, calendar year, age, and for a selected number of cancer sites, by stage and histology.

Explore Additional Cancer Statistics

More About Cancer Surveillance

More Information

Here are some resources for learning more about cancer surveillance:

References

All statistics in this report are based on statistics from SEER and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Most can be found within SEER*Explorer.

Estimates of new cases and deaths for 2024 are projections made by the American Cancer Society (ACS), based on earlier reported data.

Suggested Citation

All material in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

SEER Cancer Statistics Factsheets: Common Cancer Sites. National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/common.html