A general-audience atlas · 2026 figures from WHO, IARC, ACS & CDC

Cancer in numbers — and the long, hopeful arc of progress against it.

More than 20.7 million people will hear the words "you have cancer" in 2026. This atlas translates the latest global research into plain figures: where the disease falls hardest, where it's retreating, and what's been shown to help.

Explore the data What can help

At a glance

The shape of cancer, in numbers

A new diagnosis is made roughly every 1.6 seconds somewhere on Earth. These are the headline figures for the most recent year of complete global data.

New cases · worldwide

20.7M

2025 · IARC projection

Deaths · worldwide

9.90M

≈ 27,100 per day

New cases · United States

2.08M

ACS Facts & Figures 2026

5-year survival · US

70%

up from 49% in 1975

New cases per day · worldwide

57K

≈ 1 diagnosis every 1.5 seconds

Deaths per day · worldwide

27K

≈ 1 death every 3.2 seconds

New cases per day · US

ACS 2026 projection ÷ 365

Deaths per day · US

≈ 1,700 lives lost daily

Estimated new cases reported worldwide this year

9.69M

Updates every second · based on WHO GLOBOCAN annual rate

Estimated cancer deaths worldwide this year

4.64M

≈ one life lost every 3.3 seconds globally

Slice & dice

Cancer by age, sex, and demographics

Cancer doesn't fall on everyone equally. Filter the data to see incidence rates per 100,000 people across age groups, sex, and race / ethnicity in the United States.

Sex

Race / ethnicity

Age group

Incidence · selected slice

896

cases per 100,000 / year

Sex

All

Combined male + female

Population

All

US, age-adjusted

Incidence by age group

per 100,000 / year

Top cancers in this slice

per 100,000 / year

Source: CDC United States Cancer Statistics (2017–2021) and NCI SEER. Figures are rounded estimates and combine several sub-groups for readability.

Men vs women

How cancer falls on the two sexes

In the United States, men have a slightly higher overall lifetime risk and death rate, but the leading cancers look very different — driven mostly by prostate disease in men and breast cancer in women.

Men

New cases · 2026

1.06M

Deaths · 2026

326K

Incidence rate

487 / 100k

Lifetime risk

41%

Leading: prostate, lung, colorectal.

Women

New cases · 2026

1.02M

Deaths · 2026

293K

Incidence rate

432 / 100k

Lifetime risk

39%

Leading: breast, lung, colorectal.

US new cases by cancer type · 2026 projection

ACS

By age · life stages

Cancers reported by age group

The cancers that show up at age 8 are very different from those that show up at 78. Here are the most commonly diagnosed cancers across four life stages in the United States — and how much of the total each stage carries.

Ages 0–14

Children

10K

new US cases / yr

Share of all US cancers1%

Childhood cancer is rare but the leading disease cause of death in this age group. 5-year survival now exceeds 85%.

Most common cancers

Leukemia28%
Brain & CNS tumors27%
Lymphomas12%
Neuroblastoma6%
Wilms tumor (kidney)5%

Ages 15–39

Adolescents & young adults

94K

new US cases / yr

Share of all US cancers5%

Often called the 'AYA gap': diagnosis is frequently delayed and survival gains have lagged behind other groups.

Most common cancers

Breast17%
Thyroid13%
Melanoma9%
Testicular8%
Lymphomas11%

Ages 40–64

Adults

670K

new US cases / yr

Share of all US cancers32%

Where screening pays off most: breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers all become significantly more common.

Most common cancers

Breast16%
Prostate13%
Lung & bronchus11%
Colorectal9%
Melanoma6%

Ages 65+

Older adults

1.20M

new US cases / yr

Share of all US cancers58%

Nearly 6 in 10 new cancers in the US are diagnosed at 65 or older. Median age at diagnosis is 67 across all sites.

Most common cancers

Prostate16%
Lung & bronchus14%
Breast12%
Colorectal10%
Bladder6%

Why age matters so much. Most cancers are diseases of accumulated DNA damage, so risk climbs steeply with age. The median age at cancer diagnosis in the US is 67. That's also why screening guidelines (mammograms at 40, colonoscopies at 45, lung CT at 50) cluster in midlife.

Pets & companion animals

Cancer in dogs and cats

Cancer is now the leading cause of death in dogs over the age of 10, and a top cause in cats too. Many of the same therapies used in people — surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy — are now standard in veterinary oncology, and pets are often the first species to benefit from emerging drugs.

US dogs diagnosed each year

6.00M

≈ 1 every 5 seconds

US cats diagnosed each year

6.00M

lymphoma is #1

Lifetime cancer risk · dogs

25%

1 in 4 dogs

Risk in dogs over 10

50%

leading cause of death

Most common cancers in dogs

share of canine cancer cases

Lymphoma24%
Most common; often responds well to chemo.
Mast cell tumor20%
Most common skin cancer in dogs.
Osteosarcoma (bone)6%
Aggressive; common in large breeds.
Hemangiosarcoma7%
Blood-vessel cancer; often spleen or heart.
Mammary tumors12%
Largely preventable by early spaying.
Melanoma4%
Oral form is aggressive.

Most common cancers in cats

share of feline cancer cases

Lymphoma33%
Most common feline cancer; FeLV is a key risk.
Squamous cell carcinoma15%
Skin & mouth; UV exposure raises risk.
Fibrosarcoma8%
Soft-tissue tumor; some injection-site linked.
Mammary carcinoma17%
Usually malignant; spaying lowers risk sharply.
Basal cell tumor6%
Mostly benign; surgically curable.

Warning signs in pets

The 10 common signs of cancer recognized by the Veterinary Cancer Society. Most have benign causes — but lingering changes are worth a vet visit.

Lumps or bumps that grow or changeSores that don't healUnexplained weight lossLoss of appetiteBleeding or dischargeBad breath or oral odorDifficulty eating or swallowingPersistent lameness or stiffnessDifficulty breathing, urinating, or defecatingLethargy or loss of stamina

Pets help people too. Companion animals — especially dogs — develop cancers that look biologically similar to ours. Comparative oncology trials run by the NCI use this overlap to test therapies that benefit both species, accelerating discoveries for human patients.

By cancer type

Where the global burden falls

Lung, breast, and colorectal cancers together account for nearly a third of every diagnosis worldwide. Toggle to see how that picture changes when measured by lives lost.

Top causes by cancer type

What's driving each diagnosis

The biggest known risk factors per cancer, by the share of cases each is estimated to cause. Categories overlap, so totals can exceed 100%. Sources: IARC, WHO, ACS, NCI, WCRF.

Lung

attributable share

Tobacco smoking80%
Secondhand smoke5%
Radon gas exposure10%
Outdoor air pollution8%
Occupational (asbestos, diesel)9%

Breast

attributable share

Age & female sex hormones35%
Inherited mutations (BRCA1/2)10%
Obesity & alcohol18%
Reproductive history15%
Hormone therapy / dense breast12%

Colorectal

attributable share

Processed & red meat diet22%
Obesity & inactivity18%
Alcohol use12%
Smoking12%
Inherited syndromes (Lynch, FAP)7%

Prostate

attributable share

Age (65+)60%
Family history / genetics20%
African ancestry12%
Obesity & Western diet10%

Stomach

attributable share

H. pylori infection75%
High-salt / smoked foods15%
Tobacco smoking11%
Family history8%

Liver

attributable share

Hepatitis B & C infection56%
Alcohol-related cirrhosis20%
Fatty liver disease (MASLD)12%
Aflatoxin-contaminated food5%
Tobacco smoking6%

Thyroid

attributable share

Ionizing radiation exposure9%
Iodine imbalance8%
Female sex hormones25%
Inherited mutations (RET, MEN2)5%
Overdiagnosis from imaging30%

Cervical

attributable share

HPV infection (16/18)95%
Smoking10%
Long-term oral contraceptive use8%
Immunosuppression (HIV)6%

Many cancers have multiple, overlapping causes — a smoker with HPV, or someone with both an inherited mutation and an obesogenic diet, carries combined risk. Removing even one driver meaningfully lowers the odds.

Cures & what's working

The cancers we now cure — and what's curing them

Five-year relative survival when caught at the localized stage, paired with the treatment driving the cure. Sources: NCI SEER 2014–2020, ACS, FDA approvals 2023–2026.

Cure rate when caught early

Thyroid (papillary)99.5%
Surgery (thyroidectomy) ± radioactive iodine
Prostate (localized)99%
Active surveillance, surgery, or radiation
Melanoma (localized)99%
Wide local excision; immunotherapy if advanced
Breast (localized)99%
Lumpectomy + radiation, hormone therapy, HER2 drugs
Testicular95%
Orchiectomy + cisplatin chemotherapy
Hodgkin lymphoma92%
ABVD chemo + targeted brentuximab/nivolumab
Cervical (localized)91%
Surgery + HPV vaccine prevention
Colorectal (localized)91%
Surgical resection ± adjuvant chemo
Childhood ALL90%
Multi-agent chemo + CAR-T for relapse
Chronic myeloid leukemia90%
Imatinib / TKIs (Gleevec revolution)

Breakthroughs · 2025–2026

FDA approval of the first KRAS-G12D targeted drugs for pancreatic cancer (2025).
mRNA cancer vaccines (Moderna/Merck) cut melanoma recurrence by 49% in Phase 3.
Off-the-shelf allogeneic CAR-T entered late-stage trials for lymphoma & lupus.
AI-guided early detection (Galleri, Grail) now detects 50+ cancers from a blood draw.
Theranostics (Pluvicto, Lutathera) deliver radiation directly to prostate & neuroendocrine tumors.
First CRISPR-edited TIL therapy showed durable responses in solid tumors (2026).

Cure rate by cancer type — all 20 major cancers

5-year relative survival, all stages combined

Thyroid98%
Prostate97%
Testicular95%
Melanoma (skin)94%
Breast (female)91%
Hodgkin lymphoma89%
Uterine / endometrial81%
Kidney78%
Bladder78%
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma74%
Cervical67%
Leukemia (all types)67%
Colorectal65%
Ovarian51%
Stomach36%
Brain / CNS34%
Lung (all)27%
Esophageal22%
Liver / bile duct22%
Pancreatic13%

Highly curable (>80%) Mixed outcomes (50–80%) Still deadly (<50%)

Six pillars of modern cures

Early detection

Stage I survival > 90%

When caught at stage I, survival exceeds 90% for most cancers. Mammography, colonoscopy, low-dose CT for smokers, HPV testing, and PSA screening have driven the biggest mortality drops.

Surgery

~45% of all cures

Still the single most curative treatment for solid tumors. Minimally invasive and robotic techniques mean faster recovery and tighter margins.

Immunotherapy

Melanoma: 5% → 52%

Checkpoint inhibitors (Keytruda, Opdivo) unleash the patient's own T-cells. Metastatic melanoma 5-yr survival jumped from 5% to over 50%.

Targeted therapy

CML 5-yr survival > 90%

Drugs aimed at specific mutations — HER2 (Herceptin), BCR-ABL (Gleevec), EGFR, BRAF, KRAS-G12C. Turned several death sentences into chronic conditions.

CAR-T cell therapy

Pediatric ALL: 80%+ remission

A patient's T-cells are re-engineered to hunt their cancer. Producing durable remissions in leukemia, lymphoma, and now multiple myeloma.

Vaccines & prevention

Cervical cancer ↓ 90% in vaccinated cohorts

HPV vaccine is preventing cervical, anal, and head/neck cancers — Scotland and Australia are on track to eliminate cervical cancer. Hep B vaccine slashes liver cancer.

Roughly 40% of all cancers diagnosed today can be cured outright, and another 30% can be held in long-term remission. The gap between "diagnosed" and "cured" keeps narrowing every year.

United States · by state

Cancer across the 50 states

Projected 2026 new cases and deaths from the American Cancer Society, with age-adjusted incidence rates per 100,000 (CDC USCS). Population size drives totals; lifestyle, environment, and screening drive rates.

Total US new cases · 2026

2.02M

Total US deaths · 2026

638K

Highest incidence rate

Kentucky

510 per 100k

Lowest incidence rate

Utah

365 per 100k

New cases · 2026

CACalifornia198K
FLFlorida170K
TXTexas145K
NYNew York124K
PAPennsylvania89K
OHOhio76K
ILIllinois76K
NCNorth Carolina71K
MIMichigan65K
GAGeorgia60K
NJNew Jersey55K
VAVirginia51K
WAWashington48K
TNTennessee48K
MAMassachusetts46K
AZArizona46K
INIndiana44K
MOMissouri40K
WIWisconsin40K
MDMaryland36K
MNMinnesota36K
SCSouth Carolina35K
KYKentucky32K
ALAlabama31K
COColorado30K
LALouisiana28K
OROregon25K
CTConnecticut23K
OKOklahoma23K
IAIowa22K
ARArkansas20K
MSMississippi18K
NVNevada18K
KSKansas18K
UTUtah14K
WVWest Virginia13K
NMNew Mexico12K
NENebraska12K
IDIdaho11K
MEMaine11K
NHNew Hampshire10K
HIHawaii8K
MTMontana7K
RIRhode Island7K
DEDelaware7K
SDSouth Dakota6K
NDNorth Dakota5K
VTVermont4K
AKAlaska4K
DCDC3K
WYWyoming3K

Total counts track population — California, Florida, and Texas top the list simply because more people live there. Age-adjusted rates tell a different story: Kentucky, West Virginia, and Maine sit highest, reflecting tobacco use, obesity, and older populations. Utah and New Mexico stay lowest thanks to younger demographics and lower smoking rates.

Where the best care is

Top cancer centers and oncologists

Leading NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers across the US, the world's highest-ranked cancer hospitals, and the physician-scientists driving today's breakthroughs. Sources: NCI, US News 2025–2026, Newsweek World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2026, ASCO/AACR/ESMO leadership.

Northeast

6 centers

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Largest private cancer center; pioneer of CAR-T (Sadelain, Brentjens)
Dana-Farber / Brigham Cancer Center
Boston, MA
Harvard-affiliated; PD-1 immunotherapy roots
Memorial Sloan Kettering — Basser/Weill Cornell
New York, NY
Genomic precision oncology
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Buffalo, NY
Nation's first cancer hospital (1898)
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, PA
BRCA discovery; immunoprevention
Yale Cancer Center
New Haven, CT
Immuno-oncology and lung cancer trials

South

7 centers

MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX
#1 ranked US cancer hospital 11 of last 14 years
Duke Cancer Institute
Durham, NC
Brain tumor & polio-virus glioblastoma trials
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chapel Hill, NC
Triple-negative breast cancer leader
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, FL
TIL therapy & melanoma
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Miami, FL
Hispanic/Caribbean cancer disparities
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, TN
Targeted therapy & KRAS research
Winship Cancer Institute (Emory)
Atlanta, GA
Multiple myeloma center of excellence

Midwest

7 centers

Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center
Rochester, MN
Multi-site integrated care; proton therapy
University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Ctr
Chicago, IL
Checkpoint blockade origins (Gajewski)
Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center (Northwestern)
Chicago, IL
Prostate & GU oncology
Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute
Cleveland, OH
Genitourinary & GI cancers
OSU James Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbus, OH
Largest freestanding cancer hospital in Midwest
Siteman Cancer Center (Washington U)
St. Louis, MO
Cancer genomics pioneer (TCGA)
U Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI
Sequencing-guided precision oncology

West

8 centers

Stanford Cancer Institute
Stanford, CA
Lymphoma & CAR-T (Levy, Mackall)
UCSF Helen Diller Family Cancer Center
San Francisco, CA
Prostate cancer & precision medicine
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, CA
Melanoma & pembrolizumab (Ribas)
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, CA
Epigenetics (Peter Jones)
City of Hope
Duarte, CA
Bone marrow transplant & CAR-T leader
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seattle, WA
Stem cell transplant (Thomas, Nobel 1990)
Huntsman Cancer Institute
Salt Lake City, UT
Hereditary cancer (Skolnick, BRCA1)
University of Colorado Cancer Center
Aurora, CO
Thoracic oncology & ALK inhibitors

Outcomes are consistently better at high-volume NCI-designated centers — for complex cancers, where you're treated matters as much as what you're treated with. Most centers above offer second-opinion programs and remote consults.

By lethality

Death rate by cancer type

How many people each cancer kills — measured three ways: total US deaths in 2026, the age-adjusted mortality rate per 100,000 people, and the share of diagnosed patients who die within five years. Sources: ACS 2026, CDC USCS, SEER 2014–2020.

Total US deaths · 2026

~528K total deaths from these 22 cancers — about 96% of all US cancer mortality.

Lung & bronchus125K
Colorectal53K
Pancreatic52K
Breast (female)42K
Prostate36K
Liver & bile duct30K
Leukemia (all)24K
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma20K
Brain & CNS19K
Bladder17K
Esophageal16K
Kidney & renal pelvis15K
Uterine / endometrial14K
Ovarian13K
Oral cavity & pharynx12K
Multiple myeloma12K
Stomach11K
Melanoma (skin)8K
Cervical4K
Thyroid2K
Hodgkin lymphoma950
Testicular510

Volume and lethality tell different stories. Lung cancer kills the most people overall, but pancreatic cancer is nearly always fatal once diagnosed. Thyroid, testicular, and melanoma — though common — rarely kill, thanks to early detection and effective treatment.

Worldwide lethality

Death rate by cancer type · worldwide

The same three views — total deaths, age-standardized mortality rate, and case-fatality — across the entire global population. Source: IARC GLOBOCAN 2022.

Total worldwide deaths · GLOBOCAN 2022

~8.48M deaths from these 22 cancers — roughly 90% of the ~9.7M global cancer deaths each year.

Lung1.82M
Colorectal904K
Liver & bile duct758K
Breast (female)670K
Stomach660K
Esophageal511K
Pancreatic467K
Prostate397K
Cervical348K
Leukemia (all)331K
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma250K
Brain & CNS249K
Bladder220K
Ovarian207K
Oral cavity & lip188K
Kidney & renal pelvis156K
Multiple myeloma117K
Uterine / corpus uteri97K
Melanoma (skin)59K
Thyroid44K
Hodgkin lymphoma23K
Testicular9K

The global picture shifts the rankings: liver and stomach cancers — driven by hepatitis B/C and H. pylori infection — kill far more people worldwide than in high-income countries, while cervical cancer remains a leading killer of women wherever HPV vaccination and screening are out of reach.

US deaths by state

Death by state

Where Americans die of cancer — by raw count and by age-adjusted mortality rate per 100,000. The map of mortality looks very different from the map of incidence: Appalachia and the Deep South consistently bury the most people per capita. Source: ACS 2026, CDC USCS 2018-2022.

Total US deaths 2026

638K

Highest mortality rate

Kentucky

191 per 100k

Lowest mortality rate

Utah

118 per 100k

Gap, highest vs lowest

62%

more deaths per capita

Projected cancer deaths · 2026

California, Florida, and Texas lead by raw count — driven by population.

CACalifornia64K
FLFlorida50K
TXTexas47K
NYNew York36K
PAPennsylvania28K
OHOhio26K
ILIllinois24K
NCNorth Carolina22K
MIMichigan22K
GAGeorgia19K
NJNew Jersey16K
TNTennessee16K
VAVirginia16K
INIndiana15K
WAWashington14K
AZArizona14K
MOMissouri14K
MAMassachusetts13K
WIWisconsin12K
KYKentucky11K
SCSouth Carolina11K
MDMaryland11K
ALAlabama11K
MNMinnesota11K
LALouisiana10K
OKOklahoma9K
COColorado8K
OROregon8K
ARArkansas7K
MSMississippi7K
IAIowa7K
CTConnecticut7K
NVNevada6K
KSKansas6K
WVWest Virginia5K
NMNew Mexico4K
UTUtah4K
NENebraska4K
IDIdaho3K
MEMaine3K
NHNew Hampshire3K
HIHawaii3K
MTMontana2K
RIRhode Island2K
DEDelaware2K
SDSouth Dakota2K
NDNorth Dakota1K
VTVermont1K
AKAlaska1K
WYWyoming1K
DCDC1K

Raw deaths follow population — the biggest states bury the most people. But the age-adjusted rate strips population out, exposing a stark regional pattern: Appalachia and the Deep South lose 50-60% more people per capita to cancer than Utah, Hawaii, or Colorado. Smoking history, obesity, late-stage diagnosis, and access to high-volume cancer centers explain most of the gap.

ABO overlap

Cancer risk by blood type

Decades of cohort studies show your ABO blood group nudges risk for several cancers — most strikingly for pancreatic and gastric cancer. The effects are small to moderate, never deterministic, and dwarfed by smoking, weight, and family history. Sources: Wolpin (JNCI 2009), Iodice (EJC 2010), Edgren (AJE 2010), UK Biobank (2021).

US blood type prevalence

O+37.4%
A+35.7%
B+8.5%
AB+3.4%
O-6.6%
A-6.3%
B-1.5%
AB-0.6%

~44% of Americans are Type O — the "universal donor" group and the reference baseline in most ABO-cancer studies.

How the ABO–cancer link works

ABO gene (9q34) codes for glycosyltransferases that decorate cell-surface proteins with sugar antigens — present on red cells, gut lining, pancreas, and tumor cells alike.
Inflammation markers (TNF-α, ICAM-1, E-selectin) run higher in non-O individuals, plausibly accelerating tumor microenvironment changes.
Pathogen binding — H. pylori sticks more easily to Type A gastric mucosa; norovirus and cholera prefer Type O. Chronic infection drives several cancers.
Clotting factors (vWF, factor VIII) run 25% higher in non-O, affecting metastasis-related vascular biology.

Relative risk vs Type O

1.00 = same risk as Type O. 1.50 = 50% higher. Sorted by selected blood type.

Pancreatic1.32× ↑
Non-O carriers have ~25–45% higher risk. ABO gene variants on chromosome 9q34 affect inflammation and cell adhesion.
Gastric (stomach)1.20× ↑
Type A has ~20% higher risk, linked to H. pylori binding affinity for A antigens on gastric mucosa.
Ovarian1.16× ↑
Modest but consistent elevation for A and AB across European cohorts.
Cervical1.14× ↑
Possible link to ABO-modulated immune response to HPV.
Breast1.12× ↑
Small (~10%) increase for A. Mechanism unclear — possibly hormone-binding glycoproteins.
Colorectal1.11× ↑
Slight A elevation; results inconsistent across populations.
Lung1.08× ↑
Minimal effect — smoking dwarfs any ABO signal.
Liver (HCC)1.00× —
Type B and AB show higher risk in East Asian cohorts, partly mediated by hepatitis B chronicity.
Skin (melanoma)0.95× ↓
Type O may carry slightly higher risk; effect is small.

Put it in perspective: smoking raises lung cancer risk 15–30×. Obesity raises endometrial risk 2–5×. A BRCA1 mutation raises breast cancer risk 6–7×. Blood type shifts risk by 5–70%. It's a real signal — useful for risk modeling and biology — but it's not destiny, and there's nothing you can do to change it. Focus on the modifiable factors first.

Alcohol overlap

Cancer risk: drinkers vs non-drinkers

Alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen — same category as tobacco and asbestos. It causes at least 7 cancers, and the risk starts at the first drink for some of them. Sources: IARC Monograph 100E, WCRF/AICR 2018, Bagnardi (BJC 2015), Rumgay (Lancet Oncology 2021).

Global cancer cases attributable to alcohol

741,300

≈4.1% of all new cancers in 2020 (Lancet Oncology 2021)

Cases from heavy drinking (>60g/day)

346,400

47% of alcohol-attributable cancers

Cases from moderate drinking (20–60g/day)

291,800

39% — most cases come from non-heavy drinkers

Cases from light drinking (<20g/day)

103,100

14% — no safe threshold for breast and oral cancer

Relative risk vs lifetime non-drinkers

1–4 drinks/day. Most alcohol-attributable cancers come from this range, not heavy drinking.

Esophageal (squamous)2.23× ↑
Acetaldehyde accumulation, especially in people with ALDH2 deficiency (common in East Asians).
Oral cavity & pharynx1.83× ↑
Direct mucosal exposure; acetaldehyde damages DNA in upper aerodigestive tract.
Laryngeal1.44× ↑
Synergistic with tobacco — combined risk is multiplicative, not additive.
Breast (female)1.23× ↑
Raises circulating estrogen; even one drink/day measurably increases risk.
Colorectal1.17× ↑
Acetaldehyde + folate depletion + altered gut microbiome.
Liver (HCC)1.08× ↑
Chronic inflammation → fibrosis → cirrhosis → hepatocellular carcinoma.
Lung1.08× ↑
Weak independent signal; mostly confounded by smoking.
Stomach1.07× ↑
Modest risk increase, mainly with heavy intake.
Pancreatic1.04× —
Heavy drinking promotes chronic pancreatitis, a precursor lesion.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma0.88× ↓
Slight inverse association; mechanism unclear.
Kidney0.85× ↓
Light/moderate drinking shows an inverse association — not a recommendation.

How alcohol causes cancer

Acetaldehyde — alcohol's first metabolite. Binds DNA, blocks repair, causes mutations. IARC Group 1 carcinogen.
Oxidative stress — reactive oxygen species damage DNA, proteins, lipids.
Estrogen elevation — even light drinking raises circulating estrogen, driving breast cancer risk.
Folate depletion — disrupts DNA methylation and repair, especially in colorectal mucosa.
Solvent effect — alcohol helps tobacco carcinogens penetrate mouth and throat tissue.

What the dose curve looks like

No safe threshold for breast, oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal cancer — risk rises from the first drink.
Linear dose-response for liver, colorectal, and breast — every additional 10g/day adds risk.
Synergy with tobacco for head, neck, and esophageal cancer — combined risk is 30–100× a never-user.
ALDH2 deficiency (~540M people, mostly East Asian) blocks acetaldehyde breakdown, multiplying esophageal cancer risk in drinkers.
Cutting back works — 20 years after quitting, oral and esophageal risk returns nearly to baseline.

The biggest surprise in the data isn't heavy drinking — it's that moderate and even light drinking account for more than half of alcohol-attributable cancers, because so many more people drink at those levels. For breast cancer in particular, "one glass of wine a night" is a measurable risk choice, not a neutral one.

Smoking overlap

Cancer risk: smokers vs non-smokers

Tobacco causes more cancer than any other modifiable risk factor on Earth — 17 distinct cancers and roughly a third of all cancer deaths. The dose-response is steep, but the recovery curve after quitting is the most encouraging story in oncology. Sources: US Surgeon General 2014/2020, IARC 100E, Doll & Peto 50-year British Doctors Study.

US cancer deaths from smoking each year

~480,000

Tobacco is the #1 preventable cause of cancer death (CDC, Surgeon General 2020)

Share of US cancer deaths caused by smoking

30%

≈1 in 3 cancer deaths trace back to tobacco

Lung cancers caused by smoking

80–90%

Without tobacco, lung cancer would be a rare disease

Years of life lost per smoker (avg)

10+ yrs

Quitting before 40 reverses ~90% of the excess mortality

Relative risk vs lifetime never-smokers

Current smokers. Lung cancer risk is 25× higher than never-smokers — the steepest single risk factor in all of oncology.

Lung25.0× ↑
Benzo[a]pyrene, NNK and 70+ other carcinogens directly mutate TP53 and KRAS in bronchial epithelium.
Laryngeal14.6× ↑
Direct smoke contact; synergistic with alcohol.
Oral cavity & pharynx10.9× ↑
Tar deposition on mucosa; combined with alcohol, risk multiplies.
Esophageal (squamous)6.8× ↑
Carcinogen exposure during swallowing; ALDH2-deficient drinkers especially vulnerable.
Bladder3.1× ↑
Aromatic amines (4-aminobiphenyl, 2-naphthylamine) excreted in urine, concentrate in bladder.
Pancreatic2.2× ↑
Carcinogens reach pancreas via blood and biliary reflux; smokers diagnosed ~10 yrs earlier.
Ovarian (mucinous)2.1× ↑
Effect specific to mucinous histology; other subtypes not elevated.
Kidney (renal cell)2.0× ↑
Tobacco-specific nitrosamines filtered through kidneys.
Cervical1.8× ↑
Nicotine and cotinine concentrate in cervical mucus; impairs local immune clearance of HPV.
Stomach1.7× ↑
Smoking + H. pylori produces multiplicative gastric cancer risk.
Liver1.6× ↑
Synergistic with hepatitis B/C and alcohol-induced cirrhosis.
Acute myeloid leukemia1.4× ↑
Benzene in tobacco smoke damages bone marrow stem cells.
Colorectal1.2× ↑
Smoking is now established as a colorectal carcinogen; long latency (~30 yrs).
Breast1.1× ↑
Modest signal; stronger for women who started smoking before first pregnancy.

What's in the smoke

7,000+ chemicals in tobacco smoke; at least 70 are known carcinogens.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo[a]pyrene) form DNA adducts at the exact TP53 hotspots seen in lung tumors.
Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (NNK, NNN) target lung, pancreas, esophagus.
Aromatic amines excreted in urine drive bladder cancer.
Benzene damages bone marrow → leukemia.
Heavy metals (cadmium, arsenic, polonium-210) accumulate in tissue over decades.

Recovery timeline after quitting

20 minHeart rate and blood pressure begin to drop.
12 hoursCarbon monoxide in blood returns to normal.
2–12 weeksCirculation improves; lung function climbs up to 30%.
1 yearExcess risk of coronary heart disease cut in half.
5 yearsOral, throat, esophageal, and bladder cancer risk roughly halves.
10 yearsLung cancer death rate drops to about half of a continuing smoker's.
15 yearsRisk of coronary heart disease returns to that of a non-smoker.
20 yearsRisk of most smoking-related cancers approaches never-smoker levels.

No other intervention in medicine — no drug, no screening test, no surgery — comes close to the lifetime cancer risk reduction of never starting, or quitting before 40. Secondhand smoke causes another ~7,300 US lung cancer deaths a year in non-smokers. And vaping, while less harmful than cigarettes, is not "no risk" — long-term cancer data is still emerging.

CBC overlap

Cancer risk: red and white blood cell counts

The complete blood count is the cheapest, oldest cancer-screening tool in medicine. Unexplained anemia, polycythemia, leukocytosis, or pancytopenia in an otherwise-well adult is one of the most common ways a hidden cancer first announces itself. Sources: NCCN, ASH guidelines, UK Biobank, Templeton et al. JNCI 2014.

Normal RBC (men)

4.7–6.1

million cells / µL

Normal RBC (women)

4.2–5.4

million cells / µL

Normal WBC (adult)

4.5–11.0

thousand cells / µL

Anemia at cancer diagnosis

~40%

of solid-tumor patients; up to 70% with chemo

Red cell findings → cancers to think of

Iron-deficiency anemia in any man or post-menopausal woman is colon cancer until proven otherwise.

Anemia (low RBC / low hemoglobin)
Think about
Colorectal, gastric, esophageal, bladder, kidney, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, any advanced solid tumor
Why
Chronic occult blood loss from GI/GU tumors, bone marrow infiltration, anemia of chronic inflammation (high hepcidin), iron sequestration.
Iron-deficiency anemia in men or post-menopausal women
Think about
Right-sided colon cancer (especially cecal), gastric cancer
Why
Slow, painless GI bleeding. Unexplained IDA is a colonoscopy indication until proven otherwise — yields cancer in ~10% of cases.
Elevated RBC / polycythemia
Think about
Polycythemia vera (myeloproliferative neoplasm), renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, cerebellar hemangioblastoma, uterine leiomyoma, pheochromocytoma
Why
Tumors secrete ectopic erythropoietin (EPO) → bone marrow over-produces red cells. JAK2 V617F mutation drives true polycythemia vera.
Macrocytosis (high MCV)
Think about
Myelodysplastic syndrome, acute leukemia (especially AML)
Why
Dysplastic erythropoiesis. Persistent unexplained macrocytosis warrants a bone marrow biopsy.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)

A single number derived from any CBC with differential. High NLR signals systemic inflammation and immune exhaustion — and predicts shorter survival across virtually every solid tumor studied.

< 2Baseline. Healthy reference range; no prognostic signal.
2 – 3Mildly elevated. Subclinical inflammation; modest signal.
3 – 5Elevated. Across 100+ studies, NLR >3 predicts ~30–60% worse overall survival in most solid tumors.
> 5High. Strongly associated with advanced disease, poor immunotherapy response, and higher cancer mortality.

How tumors disturb the CBC

Direct marrow invasion — leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, or metastatic carcinoma displaces normal hematopoiesis → cytopenias.
Chronic blood loss — GI and GU tumors bleed slowly → iron-deficiency anemia, often the first clue.
Anemia of inflammation — IL-6 from tumor drives hepcidin → iron trapped in macrophages → normocytic anemia.
Ectopic hormone production — kidney, liver, and cerebellar tumors secrete EPO → polycythemia.
Paraneoplastic cytokines — tumor G-CSF / GM-CSF → neutrophilia; IL-5 → eosinophilia.
Hypersplenism — splenomegaly from lymphoma or portal hypertension → sequestration of platelets and red cells.

A normal CBC does not rule out cancer — many early tumors leave the blood count untouched. But an unexplained abnormality, especially one that persists across two draws, deserves a real workup. The CBC's strength isn't diagnosis; it's that it's run on almost everyone, almost everywhere, almost for free — and it quietly catches thousands of cancers a year that would otherwise present much later.

Air quality overlap

Cancer mortality vs air quality, by state

Particulate matter (PM2.5) — the fine soot from combustion, wildfires, diesel, and industry — is a Group 1 carcinogen (IARC 2013) and the single largest environmental cancer risk factor. Here it's overlaid against age-adjusted cancer mortality across all 50 states + DC. Sources: EPA AQS 2022–2023 design values, CDC USCS 2018–2022, IARC Monograph 109.

Correlation: PM2.5 ↔ mortality

r = 0.39

Moderate positive correlation across 51 states/DC

Correlation: PM2.5 ↔ incidence

r = 0.19

Incidence is also confounded by screening intensity and smoking rates

Dirtiest 5 states (avg mortality)

156

per 100k · CA, OH, IN, PA, IL

Cleanest 5 states (avg mortality)

149

per 100k · 5% lower than dirtiest

Side-by-side: PM2.5 vs cancer mortality

Sorted by air pollution. Orange = PM2.5 (µg/m³, WHO guideline is 5). Red = age-adjusted cancer deaths per 100,000.

CACalifornia10.5 · 130
OHOhio9.5 · 168
INIndiana9.5 · 169
PAPennsylvania9.2 · 158
ILIllinois9.2 · 155
KYKentucky9.0 · 191
MSMississippi9.0 · 184
ALAlabama8.8 · 172
LALouisiana8.8 · 178
WVWest Virginia8.8 · 183
TXTexas8.5 · 141
MIMichigan8.5 · 161
GAGeorgia8.5 · 156
TNTennessee8.5 · 173
ARArkansas8.5 · 177
MOMissouri8.2 · 167
OROregon8.2 · 147
VAVirginia8.0 · 152
SCSouth Carolina8.0 · 158
OKOklahoma8.0 · 178
NCNorth Carolina7.8 · 154
NJNew Jersey7.8 · 144
WAWashington7.8 · 145
WIWisconsin7.8 · 152
MDMaryland7.8 · 144
IAIowa7.8 · 156
UTUtah7.8 · 118
DEDelaware7.8 · 156
NVNevada7.5 · 154
KSKansas7.5 · 154
DCDC7.5 · 144
AZArizona7.2 · 132
CTConnecticut7.0 · 138
IDIdaho7.0 · 142
NYNew York6.8 · 138
MNMinnesota6.8 · 144
COColorado6.8 · 124
NENebraska6.8 · 150
RIRhode Island6.8 · 150
FLFlorida6.5 · 143
MAMassachusetts6.5 · 143
MTMontana6.5 · 152
SDSouth Dakota6.0 · 156
NMNew Mexico5.8 · 130
NHNew Hampshire5.8 · 152
HIHawaii5.5 · 122
NDNorth Dakota5.5 · 152
VTVermont5.5 · 148
WYWyoming5.5 · 153
MEMaine5.2 · 165
AKAlaska5.0 · 159

What the correlation does and doesn't say

It's real. Long-term PM2.5 exposure causes lung cancer (IARC Group 1, 2013). Each 10 µg/m³ increase is linked to ~9% higher lung cancer mortality (Pope et al. JAMA 2002, ESCAPE 2013).
It's not the whole story. The dirtiest US states also have the highest smoking rates, highest obesity, and worst healthcare access. PM2.5 is one driver — it doesn't explain Kentucky alone.
The cleanest states aren't always the healthiest cancer outcomes either — Alaska is clean but has high mortality due to access gaps and indigenous health disparities.
State averages hide huge intra-state variation — a freeway corridor in LA or the Ohio River Valley carries much higher local exposure than the state mean.

How dirty air causes cancer

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in combustion soot — same DNA-damaging molecules as tobacco smoke.
Heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, nickel) bind to ultrafine particles and reach the deep lung.
Chronic oxidative stress and inflammation in airway epithelium drives mutation accumulation over decades.
Diesel exhaust alone is IARC Group 1 — established cause of lung cancer in occupational cohorts.
Wildfire smoke contains 3–4× more carcinogenic PAHs per microgram than urban PM2.5 (UC Davis 2021).
Beyond lung: emerging evidence links PM2.5 to bladder, breast, and pancreatic cancer (Lancet Planetary Health 2023).

Air pollution is the cancer risk you can't quit. WHO estimates ambient PM2.5 caused ~250,000 lung cancer deaths globally in 2019, and the IARC has classified outdoor air pollution as a definite carcinogen since 2013. The US averages look "clean" by global standards — but only 12 states meet the WHO 5 µg/m³ guideline, and the Ohio River Valley, Central Valley, and Gulf Coast carry burdens comparable to mid-tier European cities.

Technology overlap

Cancer vs technology and data center concentration

Does living in a tech-heavy state — Virginia's Loudoun County alone hosts the largest data-center cluster on Earth — affect your cancer risk? Here's the honest overlay: state-level data-center count vs cancer mortality, plus what the peer-reviewed literature actually says about each plausible tech→cancer pathway. Sources: Data Center Map / Cloudscene mid-2025, CDC USCS 2018–2022, IARC Monographs 102 (RF) / 105 (diesel) / 109 (air), WHO RF Health Review 2024.

Correlation: data centers ↔ mortality

r = -0.27

Weak correlation across 51 states/DC (log-scaled)

Correlation: data centers ↔ incidence

r = -0.25

No meaningful incidence signal either

Top-5 data-center states avg mortality

143

per 100k · VA, TX, CA, NY, GA

Bottom-5 (fewest DCs) avg mortality

154

per 100k · 7% higher than top-5

Side-by-side: data centers vs cancer mortality

Sorted by data-center count. Blue = facilities (log scale). Red = age-adjusted cancer deaths per 100,000.

VAVirginia595 · 152
TXTexas410 · 141
CACalifornia312 · 130
NYNew York195 · 138
GAGeorgia134 · 156
FLFlorida130 · 143
ILIllinois130 · 155
AZArizona120 · 132
OHOhio110 · 168
WAWashington110 · 145
NJNew Jersey95 · 144
NCNorth Carolina75 · 154
OROregon75 · 147
IAIowa70 · 156
MAMassachusetts65 · 143
NVNevada65 · 154
PAPennsylvania60 · 158
COColorado60 · 124
MDMaryland50 · 144
MNMinnesota50 · 144
MIMichigan45 · 161
TNTennessee40 · 173
INIndiana35 · 169
MOMissouri35 · 167
UTUtah35 · 118
WIWisconsin30 · 152
SCSouth Carolina25 · 158
CTConnecticut25 · 138
ALAlabama22 · 172
OKOklahoma20 · 178
KSKansas20 · 154
NENebraska20 · 150
NHNew Hampshire20 · 152
KYKentucky18 · 191
LALouisiana18 · 178
NMNew Mexico15 · 130
ARArkansas12 · 177
DEDelaware12 · 156
MSMississippi10 · 184
IDIdaho10 · 142
DCDC10 · 144
WVWest Virginia8 · 183
MEMaine8 · 165
HIHawaii8 · 122
MTMontana8 · 152
RIRhode Island8 · 150
AKAlaska6 · 159
SDSouth Dakota5 · 156
NDNorth Dakota5 · 152
VTVermont5 · 148
WYWyoming5 · 153

Tech → cancer: pathway by pathway

Radiofrequency / 5G / WiFi
Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic)
Evidence: Inconclusive
IARC 2011 classification was based on limited evidence of glioma in heavy cell-phone users. Subsequent large cohorts (Million Women Study 2022, COSMOS 2024, Danish cohort) found no increase in brain tumors with mobile-phone use. WHO 2024 review reaffirmed no clear cancer signal at exposure levels below safety limits.
Backup-generator diesel exhaust
Group 1 (definite carcinogen)
Evidence: Established at occupational levels
Data centers run diesel generators for resiliency testing. Local emissions matter for nearby residents and workers, but ambient impact is typically dwarfed by traffic and industry. Diesel exhaust causes lung and bladder cancer at sustained occupational exposure.
Grid emissions (coal/gas power)
Indirect (via PM2.5)
Evidence: Strong but diffuse
Every TWh of fossil-fired electricity consumed by data centers contributes to PM2.5 and ozone downwind — the IARC Group 1 ambient-air-pollution pathway from the previous section. Hyperscale demand grew ~40% in 2024 and is forecast to double by 2030.
Screen time / sedentary behavior
Indirect (via obesity, inactivity)
Evidence: Strong
≥8h/day sitting is linked to 10-20% higher mortality and increased colorectal, endometrial, and breast cancer risk (Lancet 2016, JNCI 2020). Tech use isn't the cause — what it displaces (movement) is.
Blue light / circadian disruption
Group 2A — shift work (probable)
Evidence: Moderate, indirect
Night-shift work involving circadian disruption is IARC 2A for breast cancer. Heavy late-night screen use may share part of the mechanism (melatonin suppression), but no direct cancer link has been established.
Cooling water / refrigerant chemistry
Varies
Evidence: Low for community exposure
Hyperscale cooling uses water (now ~660B liters/yr globally), evaporative biocides, and refrigerants. Treated discharge has not been epidemiologically linked to community cancer risk.
E-waste smelting (informal)
Multiple Group 1 carcinogens
Evidence: Strong in exposed populations
Informal e-waste recycling (Agbogbloshie, Guiyu) exposes workers to lead, cadmium, mercury, brominated flame retardants, and dioxins — all linked to elevated cancer risk. This is downstream of tech, not US-domestic.

The headline result is the boring one: at the state level, data-center concentration shows essentially no correlation with cancer mortality. Virginia (most data centers) and Vermont (almost none) have similar age-adjusted rates. The real tech-related cancer risk isn't the server racks — it's the grid emissions that power them (PM2.5), the diesel backups near specific communities, and the sedentary, late-night lifestyle the whole stack enables. RF/EMF, despite the headlines, has not produced a credible cancer signal in two decades of large cohort studies.

Income overlap

Cancer mortality vs median household income, by state

Income isn't a biological cancer risk factor — but it's one of the strongest predictors of who dies of cancer in America. Insurance, screening uptake, smoking rates, environmental exposure, and access to top-tier oncology all track income. Sources: US Census ACS 2023, NCI SEER 2018-2022, CDC USCS, AJPM (Singh et al. 2023), CDC BRFSS 2023.

Correlation: income ↔ mortality

r = -0.72

Strong negative — higher income, lower mortality

Correlation: income ↔ incidence

r = -0.37

Incidence is less income-sensitive — screening can even raise it

Top-5 income avg mortality

141

per 100k · DC, MD, NJ, MA, CA

Bottom-5 income avg mortality

183

per 100k · 30% higher than top-5 · MS, AR, WV, LA, KY

Side-by-side: median income vs cancer mortality

Sorted by income (high → low). Green = median household income ($k). Red = age-adjusted cancer deaths per 100,000.

DCDC$101k · 144
MDMaryland$98k · 144
NJNew Jersey$97k · 144
MAMassachusetts$97k · 143
CACalifornia$96k · 130
NHNew Hampshire$96k · 152
WAWashington$95k · 145
HIHawaii$95k · 122
COColorado$93k · 124
VAVirginia$90k · 152
CTConnecticut$90k · 138
UTUtah$89k · 118
AKAlaska$89k · 159
MNMinnesota$88k · 144
RIRhode Island$82k · 150
NYNew York$81k · 138
VTVermont$81k · 148
ILIllinois$80k · 155
OROregon$80k · 147
DEDelaware$79k · 156
AZArizona$77k · 132
TXTexas$76k · 141
PAPennsylvania$76k · 158
WIWisconsin$76k · 152
NVNevada$76k · 154
GAGeorgia$75k · 156
NENebraska$75k · 150
IDIdaho$75k · 142
MEMaine$74k · 165
NDNorth Dakota$74k · 152
IAIowa$73k · 156
KSKansas$73k · 154
MTMontana$73k · 152
FLFlorida$72k · 143
SDSouth Dakota$72k · 156
WYWyoming$72k · 153
NCNorth Carolina$71k · 154
OHOhio$70k · 168
INIndiana$70k · 169
MIMichigan$69k · 161
MOMissouri$69k · 167
TNTennessee$68k · 173
SCSouth Carolina$68k · 158
NMNew Mexico$62k · 130
ALAlabama$61k · 172
OKOklahoma$61k · 178
KYKentucky$60k · 191
LALouisiana$58k · 178
ARArkansas$56k · 177
WVWest Virginia$56k · 183
MSMississippi$55k · 184

Why income predicts cancer mortality

Insurance coverage. Low-income adults are 3-4× more likely to be uninsured. Uninsured cancer patients are diagnosed at later stages and have 30-50% higher mortality (NCI 2024).
Screening uptake. Mammography, colonoscopy, and Pap testing rates are 15-25 percentage points lower in the bottom income quintile (CDC BRFSS 2023). Late detection drives most of the mortality gap.
Tobacco use. Smoking prevalence is ~24% in adults below the poverty line vs ~7% among those earning >$100k (CDC 2023). Tobacco alone explains roughly a third of the income-mortality gap.
Obesity & diabetes. Both rise sharply at lower incomes and independently increase risk of colorectal, endometrial, breast, kidney, and liver cancer.
Environmental exposure. Lower-income ZIP codes sit closer to highways, refineries, and Superfund sites. Cumulative PM2.5, lead, and industrial-solvent exposure runs 1.5-3× higher.
Occupational hazards. Construction, agriculture, manufacturing, and mining concentrate carcinogen exposure (silica, asbestos, diesel, benzene) in lower-wage roles.
Healthcare access. Treatment at NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers improves survival 10-20%. These centers cluster in wealthy metros — a 4-hour drive for much of rural Appalachia and the Deep South.
Financial toxicity. Even with insurance, ~40% of cancer patients exhaust savings within 2 years. Cost-related treatment non-adherence raises mortality independently of disease stage.

Mortality gap, bottom vs top income quintile

Percent difference in cancer mortality between the lowest- and highest-income US quintiles. Negative values mean the wealthy actually have higher rates.

Cervical+90%
Mortality is nearly twice as high in the lowest income quintile — almost entirely due to HPV vaccination and Pap screening gaps.
Lung+60%
Smoking prevalence drives most of this. The lowest-income counties have lung cancer mortality 2× the highest-income counties.
Liver+55%
Hepatitis B/C, alcohol use disorder, and obesity all cluster at lower incomes.
Colorectal+40%
Colonoscopy uptake gaps + later-stage diagnosis.
Stomach+45%
H. pylori infection and salt-heavy diets are more common in lower-income and immigrant populations.
Head & neck+50%
Tobacco + alcohol + HPV. Strongest socioeconomic gradient of any cancer group.
Prostate+25%
Despite similar incidence across income, mortality runs higher in low-income/Black men due to later diagnosis.
Breast (female)+15%
Incidence is actually higher in wealthy women (later childbearing, alcohol) but mortality is higher in low-income women.
Melanoma-30%
Reversed gradient — higher-income people get more sun exposure (skiing, beaches, second homes) and have higher melanoma incidence.
Thyroid-20%
Reversed — higher-income groups have more incidental detection via imaging.

The cancer that kills you in America is partly a function of where you live and what you earn. A poor American diagnosed with cervical, lung, liver, or head-and-neck cancer faces roughly double the mortality of a wealthy American with the same disease — not because the biology is different, but because the system catches it later, treats it less aggressively, and bankrupts the patient mid-treatment. Two cancers buck the trend (melanoma, thyroid) precisely because of who has the leisure and the imaging access to be diagnosed in the first place.

Blood work trends

What blood work reveals over the course of cancer

The blood is a slow-motion readout of cancer biology. Some signals rise years before diagnosis; others fall hour-by-hour under treatment; a new class of tests reads tumor DNA directly from plasma before any tumor is visible on a scan. Sources: NCCN, ASCO Tumor Marker Guidelines 2023, BMJ (Bailey et al. 2017), GRAIL PATHFINDER, FDA approvals 2024.

Classic tumor markers

Proteins (or hormones) that cancer cells over-produce. Used for surveillance, treatment monitoring, and relapse detection — rarely for primary diagnosis on their own.

PSA (prostate-specific antigen)
Normal: < 4 ng/mL
Tracks
Prostate cancer
Trend
Rises slowly years before symptoms. Doubling time < 12 months = aggressive. Drops to undetectable after prostatectomy; recurrence detected as PSA re-rises.
CA-125
Normal: < 35 U/mL
Tracks
Ovarian (and uterine, pancreatic, peritoneal)
Trend
Elevated in 80% of advanced ovarian cancer, only ~50% of early-stage. Trajectory after surgery/chemo predicts recurrence months before imaging.
CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen)
Normal: < 3 ng/mL (non-smokers)
Tracks
Colorectal, pancreatic, breast, lung, gastric
Trend
Standard surveillance marker post-colorectal resection. Rising CEA prompts re-imaging — often catches liver mets early.
CA 19-9
Normal: < 37 U/mL
Tracks
Pancreatic, biliary, gastric
Trend
> 1,000 U/mL usually means unresectable disease. Trajectory under chemo correlates with survival.
AFP (alpha-fetoprotein)
Normal: < 10 ng/mL
Tracks
Hepatocellular carcinoma, germ-cell tumors
Trend
Screened every 6 months in cirrhosis patients alongside ultrasound. Rises with HCC growth.
β-hCG
Normal: < 5 mIU/mL (non-pregnant)
Tracks
Germ-cell tumors (testicular, ovarian), gestational trophoblastic
Trend
Half-life 24-36 hrs — fastest-falling marker of any tumor. Used hour-by-hour to track chemo response in testicular cancer.
LDH (lactate dehydrogenase)
Normal: 140-280 U/L
Tracks
Lymphoma, melanoma, germ-cell, any high-turnover tumor
Trend
Reflects tumor bulk and cell turnover. Sharp rise = rapid progression or tumor lysis.
Thyroglobulin
Normal: < 0.2 ng/mL post-thyroidectomy
Tracks
Differentiated thyroid cancer
Trend
Should be undetectable after total thyroidectomy + I-131. Any rise signals recurrence.
Calcitonin
Normal: < 10 pg/mL
Tracks
Medullary thyroid cancer
Trend
Highly specific. Doubling time predicts survival in MTC.
Beta-2 microglobulin
Normal: < 2.5 mg/L
Tracks
Multiple myeloma, lymphoma, CLL
Trend
Standard staging marker for myeloma (ISS staging) and prognostic in lymphoma.

The future of cancer detection is in the blood. ctDNA-based MRD testing is already shifting how we follow colorectal, breast, and bladder cancer — detecting microscopic relapse months before imaging and letting clinicians escalate treatment while the tumor burden is still tiny. Multi-cancer early detection tests like Galleri remain imperfect (false negatives in early-stage disease) but are the most plausible path to catching the cancers that today have no screening test at all — pancreatic, ovarian, esophageal, liver.

Screening

How to actually screen for cancer — by sex and by decade

A consolidated, age-banded view of what to do, how it's done, and how often. Pulled from USPSTF 2024, ACS 2024 guidelines, NCCN 2025, and CDC recommendations. These are average-risk pathways — anyone with a strong family history, known pathogenic variant (BRCA1/2, Lynch, Li-Fraumeni), prior radiation, IBD, or heavy smoking exposure starts earlier and screens more often. Always discuss with a clinician who knows your history.

Cancers screened regardless of sex. The colon, skin, and lungs are where universal screening produces the biggest measured drop in mortality.

Young adult

Ages 18 – 39

Cancer is rare here, but a few habits set the trajectory for the next 40 years. Know your family history before age 30 — it changes when everything else starts.

Skin self-exam
Screens for
Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer
How
Full-body check once a month using the ABCDE rule (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter >6mm, Evolving). Dermatologist visit if any concerning lesion or strong family history.
Cadence
Monthly self · dermatologist as needed
Family history review
Screens for
Hereditary cancer risk (BRCA, Lynch, Li-Fraumeni, FAP)
How
List first- and second-degree relatives with cancer, type, and age at diagnosis. Two or more close relatives with the same cancer, or any cancer under age 50, warrants genetic counseling.
Cadence
Once by age 30, update every 5 years
HPV vaccination
Screens for
Cervical, anal, oropharyngeal, penile cancers
How
9-valent HPV vaccine. Catch-up dosing is approved through age 26 and considered through age 45 after shared decision-making.
Cadence
Catch-up if not vaccinated as a teen
Tobacco & alcohol baseline
Screens for
17 cancers (lung, head/neck, esophagus, liver, breast, colon)
How
Smoking quit plan if any current use. Alcohol kept under 1 drink/day (female) or 2 (male); WHO now says no safe level for cancer risk.
Cadence
Every primary-care visit

Adult

Ages 40 – 44

The decade colorectal screening starts. Early-onset colon cancer in adults under 50 has risen ~50% since 1995 — the USPSTF lowered the start age to 45 in 2021.

Colorectal screening
Screens for
Colon and rectal cancer
How
Start at 45. Options: colonoscopy (gold standard), stool DNA test (Cologuard) every 3y, FIT every year, flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5y. High-risk (family history, IBD, polyposis) starts at 40 or 10 years before youngest affected relative.
Cadence
Colonoscopy every 10y · FIT yearly · stool DNA every 3y
Blood pressure, glucose, lipids
Screens for
Not cancer — but obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome raise risk for 13 cancers
How
Annual labs through primary care; address weight, A1C, and lipids if abnormal.
Cadence
Annual

Midlife

Ages 45 – 64

Peak screening years. Adding lung CT for eligible smokers prevents more deaths per dollar than almost any other intervention in medicine.

Colorectal — continue
Screens for
Colon and rectal cancer
How
Same options as above. A normal colonoscopy at 45 means the next is at 55.
Cadence
Per prior result
Low-dose CT for lung
Screens for
Lung cancer
How
Ages 50–80, current smoker or quit within 15 years, with ≥20 pack-year history (e.g. 1 pack/day for 20 years). Annual low-dose chest CT cuts lung cancer mortality ~20%.
Cadence
Annual while eligible
Skin check by dermatologist
Screens for
Melanoma — rising fastest in this age group
How
Full-body skin exam, especially for anyone with fair skin, blistering sunburn history, >50 moles, or family history of melanoma.
Cadence
Every 1 – 3 years
Hepatitis B & C screening
Screens for
Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver)
How
One-time HCV antibody test for all adults 18–79. HBV screening for anyone born in endemic regions or with IV drug history. Treat to prevent progression to cirrhosis and cancer.
Cadence
One-time, repeat if exposed

Older adult

Ages 65 – 75

Continue screens as long as life expectancy is ≥10 years and the person could tolerate treatment. Frailty, not age alone, decides when to stop.

Colonoscopy — last rounds
Screens for
Colorectal
How
USPSTF: screening through 75 is recommended; 76–85 is individualized. Stop if prior screens normal and life expectancy is short.
Cadence
Per prior result, stop discussion at 75
Lung CT — continue
Screens for
Lung cancer
How
Continue annual LDCT through age 80 if eligibility criteria still met.
Cadence
Annual through 80

Elder

Ages 76+

Most population screening stops here unless the patient is robust with >10 year life expectancy. Symptom-based vigilance replaces routine screening.

Symptom-driven workup
Screens for
Any new mass, unexplained weight loss, persistent pain, bleeding, anemia
How
Lower threshold to investigate — diagnostic delay is the biggest avoidable harm in this age group.
Cadence
As symptoms appear

Three rules cut through everything above. First: screening only saves your life if the result is acted on — a normal colonoscopy at 45 is worthless if you skip the next one at 55. Second: family history changes every start date on this page; collect it once, write it down, and bring it to every new clinician. Third: no screening test replaces investigating a new symptom — a lump, persistent cough, blood, or unexplained weight loss deserves a workup whether you're due for a scan or not.

Cost & coverage

What you actually pay for screening

Under the Affordable Care Act, any screening rated A or B by the USPSTF must be covered with no cost-sharing on all non-grandfathered plans. Medicare covers most of the same set, often with broader age windows. Uninsured? The CDC's NBCCEDP funds free breast and cervical screening in every state, and FQHCs offer sliding-scale fees.

Screening	ACA private plan	Medicare	Out-of-pocket
Mammography	Covered with $0 cost-share, age 40+, biennial	Free annual from 40	~$150–300 without insurance; FQHCs often $0–50
Colonoscopy (screening)	Covered with $0 cost-share, age 45–75	$0 every 10 years (every 2 if high risk)	$1,000–3,000 self-pay
FIT / stool DNA (Cologuard)	$0 cost-share	$0 every 1y (FIT) or 3y (Cologuard)	$25 (FIT) – $600 (Cologuard) self-pay
Cervical Pap / HPV co-test	$0 cost-share, age 21–65	$0 every 24 months (12 if high risk)	$80–250 self-pay
Low-dose CT (lung)	$0 cost-share for USPSTF-eligible	$0 if criteria met	$100–400 self-pay
PSA test	Covered after shared decision, age 50+	$0 annual age 50+	$25–100 self-pay
Genetic counseling + BRCA testing	$0 for eligible women per USPSTF	Covered if family/personal history meets criteria	$250 counseling + $250–1,500 testing
Skin exam by dermatologist	Often subject to deductible (not on USPSTF A/B list)	Covered if medically necessary	$100–250 self-pay

A common gotcha: a screening colonoscopy is $0, but if a polyp is removed during the same procedure, some plans reclassify it as diagnostic and apply your deductible. ACA guidance now prohibits this for in-network providers, but it still happens — always confirm with the billing office in advance.

Cost of treatment

What cancer actually costs — by cancer and by treatment

The price tag of cancer care has roughly doubled in 15 years, driven almost entirely by targeted drugs, immunotherapy, and cell therapies. These are average commercially-insured allowed amounts (Mariotto JNCI 2020, Milliman 2024, NCI Cancer Trends, ASCO 2022). Self-pay list prices run 2–5x higher.

Sort: Year-1 cost ($K)

Cancer	Y1	Cont.	Last	OOP
Pancreatic	$134K	$14K	$156K	$19K
Leukemia	$128K	$22K	$144K	$22K
Brain	$122K	$18K	$138K	$18K
Ovarian	$112K	$18K	$132K	$17K
Lung	$96K	$14K	$124K	$16K
Lymphoma	$92K	$12K	$118K	$15K
Head & neck	$88K	$11K	$110K	$14K
Colorectal	$75K	$11K	$105K	$12K
Bladder	$64K	$9K	$88K	$11K
Kidney	$62K	$9K	$92K	$11K
Breast	$55K	$8K	$96K	$10K
Melanoma	$48K	$8K	$102K	$9K
Prostate	$42K	$7K	$78K	$8K

Financial toxicity

The cost of cancer is itself a treatment side effect

~40% of cancer patients deplete their entire savings within 2 years of diagnosis (ASCO 2022 survey).
Cancer patients are 2.6x more likely to file bankruptcy than people without cancer (Ramsey et al., Health Affairs).
Bankruptcy after diagnosis correlates with ~80% higher mortality — controlling for stage, age, and treatment.
1 in 4 insured patients skip or delay treatment because of cost (KFF Health Tracking Poll 2024).

Where to get help

CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance →Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief →HealthWell Foundation →NeedyMeds — patient assistance directory →Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Co-Pay Program →Triage Cancer — legal & financial navigation →

New treatments

What's new for each cancer (2020–2025)

The most important therapies that have arrived in the last five years, by cancer. Curated from FDA oncology approvals, NCCN guidelines, and ASCO/ESMO landmark trials. Not exhaustive — focused on regimens that changed practice.

Breast

ADCs rewrote the HER2 playbook — Enhertu in HER2-low (DESTINY-Breast04) was the biggest oncology story of 2022. PI3K-pathway drugs and CDK4/6 inhibitors are now moving into early-stage disease.

Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan)
FDA 2022
Class
Antibody-drug conjugate
What changed
Doubled PFS vs chemo in HER2-low metastatic breast cancer — created an entirely new subtype overnight (DESTINY-Breast04, NEJM).
For whom
Metastatic HER2-low (IHC 1+ or 2+/ISH−); now moving to HER2-ultralow.
Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan)
FDA 2021
Class
TROP2 ADC
What changed
First ADC effective in triple-negative breast cancer; survival benefit in pretreated metastatic disease.
For whom
Metastatic triple-negative and HR+/HER2− after endocrine therapy.
Kisqali (ribociclib)
FDA 2024
Class
CDK4/6 inhibitor
What changed
First CDK4/6 to show invasive-DFS benefit in early-stage HR+/HER2− (NATALEE) — adjuvant indication.
For whom
Stage II–III HR+/HER2− at risk of recurrence.
Truqap (capivasertib)
FDA 2023
Class
AKT inhibitor
What changed
Doubled PFS in HR+ tumors with PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN alterations (CAPItello-291).
For whom
HR+/HER2− metastatic with PI3K-pathway alteration.
Itovebi (inavolisib)
FDA 2024
Class
PI3Kα-selective inhibitor
What changed
Tripled PFS combined with palbociclib + fulvestrant in PIK3CA-mutant disease (INAVO120).
For whom
HR+/HER2− PIK3CA-mutant, 1L metastatic.

The four platforms behind 2020–2025

Why everything new looks like a Greek letter

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)

A targeted antibody carrying a chemo warhead. Enhertu, Trodelvy, Elahere, Padcev, Datroway — six of the last decade's biggest launches.

Bispecific T-cell engagers

One end binds the cancer, the other binds your T cell, forcing a synapse. Imdelltra (DLL3 in SCLC), Tecvayli (BCMA in myeloma), Columvi (CD20 in DLBCL).

Targeted radioligands

A tumor-seeking ligand delivers radiation directly to cancer cells. Pluvicto (PSMA in prostate), Lutathera (somatostatin in NETs).

Genotype-matched targeted therapy

A small molecule designed against a specific mutation. KRAS G12C, BRAF V600E, FGFR, HER2-low, NTRK fusions — each defines its own micro-indication.

A practical consequence: comprehensive biomarker testing (NGS panel + IHC) at diagnosis is now the gate to most of these therapies. Patients tested only for the standard 1–2 markers routinely miss eligibility for drugs that would extend their lives by years.

State doctor visits & lifestyle

Where Americans go to the doctor — and where they move

A 50-state cross-analysis of two CDC BRFSS indicators: the share of adults who had a routine checkup in the past year, and the share who meet federal aerobic activity guidelines. Together they map prevention access against prevention behavior.

Checkups vs. physical activity, by state

median lines split the four quadrants

High visits · High activity

14 states

DC · MA · CT · RI · VT · MD · NH · NY · HI · ME · MN · VA · CA · IA

High visits · Low activity

15 states

NJ · DE · IL · MI · PA · NC · GA · OH · SC · AL · KY · LA · WV · TN · MS

Low visits · High activity

14 states

CO · WA · OR · WI · UT · AK · NE · AZ · ID · MT · NM · ND · SD · WY

Low visits · Low activity

8 states

KS · FL · MO · IN · NV · TX · AR · OK

All 51 jurisdictions, ranked

click a header to sort

State	Checkup %	Active %	Composite	Quadrant
District of Columbia (DC)	82	59	141	High visits · High activity
Massachusetts (MA)	82	55	137	High visits · High activity
Connecticut (CT)	79	54	133	High visits · High activity
Rhode Island (RI)	81	52	133	High visits · High activity
Vermont (VT)	75	58	133	High visits · High activity
Maryland (MD)	80	52	132	High visits · High activity
New Hampshire (NH)	76	56	132	High visits · High activity
New York (NY)	79	52	131	High visits · High activity
Hawaii (HI)	75	55	130	High visits · High activity
Maine (ME)	76	54	130	High visits · High activity
Minnesota (MN)	73	57	130	High visits · High activity
New Jersey (NJ)	79	51	130	High visits · Low activity
Delaware (DE)	78	51	129	High visits · Low activity
Virginia (VA)	77	52	129	High visits · High activity
California (CA)	73	55	128	High visits · High activity
Colorado (CO)	67	61	128	Low visits · High activity
Washington (WA)	70	58	128	Low visits · High activity
Illinois (IL)	75	51	126	High visits · Low activity
Iowa (IA)	73	52	125	High visits · High activity
Michigan (MI)	75	50	125	High visits · Low activity
Oregon (OR)	67	58	125	Low visits · High activity
Pennsylvania (PA)	76	49	125	High visits · Low activity
Wisconsin (WI)	71	54	125	Low visits · High activity
Utah (UT)	64	60	124	Low visits · High activity
North Carolina (NC)	75	48	123	High visits · Low activity
Alaska (AK)	64	58	122	Low visits · High activity
Nebraska (NE)	69	53	122	Low visits · High activity
Arizona (AZ)	69	52	121	Low visits · High activity
Georgia (GA)	74	47	121	High visits · Low activity
Ohio (OH)	74	47	121	High visits · Low activity
South Carolina (SC)	75	46	121	High visits · Low activity
Idaho (ID)	64	56	120	Low visits · High activity
Kansas (KS)	70	50	120	Low visits · Low activity
Montana (MT)	62	58	120	Low visits · High activity
New Mexico (NM)	68	52	120	Low visits · High activity
North Dakota (ND)	67	53	120	Low visits · High activity
Alabama (AL)	76	43	119	High visits · Low activity
Florida (FL)	71	48	119	Low visits · Low activity
Kentucky (KY)	75	44	119	High visits · Low activity
Louisiana (LA)	76	43	119	High visits · Low activity
South Dakota (SD)	67	52	119	Low visits · High activity
Missouri (MO)	70	48	118	Low visits · Low activity
West Virginia (WV)	76	42	118	High visits · Low activity
Indiana (IN)	71	46	117	Low visits · Low activity
Nevada (NV)	67	50	117	Low visits · Low activity
Tennessee (TN)	73	44	117	High visits · Low activity
Texas (TX)	70	47	117	Low visits · Low activity
Wyoming (WY)	62	55	117	Low visits · High activity
Mississippi (MS)	75	40	115	High visits · Low activity
Arkansas (AR)	71	43	114	Low visits · Low activity
Oklahoma (OK)	70	44	114	Low visits · Low activity

What the map of behavior shows

Two preventive forces, unevenly distributed

The high-visits / high-activity quadrant clusters in the Mountain West (CO, UT) joined by parts of New England (MA, VT, NH, ME) and the Mid-Atlantic (MD, DC) — places that combine reliable primary-care contact with everyday movement. The low-low quadrant is heavily Southern (MS, AL, AR, LA, KY, TN, WV) and overlaps closely with the highest cancer-mortality belt in the United States. States like Utah and Colorado show that an active population can keep cancer risk down even when routine-checkup rates lag; states like Massachusetts and Maryland show the opposite — high clinical contact compensating for moderate activity.

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2022 prevalence tables, age-adjusted, self-reported. Values rounded. Self-report introduces social-desirability bias for physical activity and recall bias for checkups; treat as directional, not exact.

Where to get screened

Where to actually go — including if you have no insurance

Cancer screening only counts if you get it done. These programs cover the gap when insurance doesn't.

CDC NBCCEDP — free breast & cervical screening →

Uninsured & underinsured women 21–64 (cervical) or 40–64 (breast)

CDC CRCCP — free colorectal screening →

Adults 45–75 without insurance in funded states

NCI-designated cancer centers →

73 centers offering specialized screening, second opinion, trials

HRSA Find a Health Center (FQHC) →

Sliding-scale fees regardless of insurance status

American Lung Association — Saved By The Scan →

Find a low-dose CT lung screening site

Susan G. Komen — Free / low-cost screening helpline →

Call 1-877-465-6636 to find local mammography options

GO2 for Lung Cancer — screening center locator →

Centers of Excellence for lung screening

Survivorship

After diagnosis: the surveillance plan that follows

Treatment ends; the cancer doesn't stop being part of your medical story. Modern survivorship care is structured — written care plans, MRD where available, late-effect monitoring, and continued screening for second primaries.

1
Year 0–2 (active surveillance)
Cross-sectional imaging every 3–6 months for most solid tumors; ctDNA-based MRD every 3 months for colorectal/breast/bladder where validated.
Highest recurrence risk window — most relapses happen here.
2
Year 2–5
Imaging spaced to every 6–12 months; tumor markers per primary; physical exam every 3–6 months.
Late recurrence still common for ER+ breast (decade-long risk) and renal cell carcinoma.
3
Year 5+
Annual visit; shift focus to second-cancer screening and late effects (cardiotoxicity, secondary malignancies, fertility, bone health).
5-year survival ≠ cured: lifelong vigilance for late recurrence and treatment-related cancers.
4
Late effects
Cardio-oncology referral for anthracyclines/HER2/radiation. Endocrinology for thyroid post-neck radiation. Pelvic radiation: bladder/bowel/sexual health. Bone density on aromatase inhibitors.
Often under-managed — survivorship care plans should be written at end of treatment.
5
Second-cancer screening
Survivors of one cancer face elevated risk for second primaries — both treatment-induced and from shared risk factors. Continue all age/sex screens on schedule.
Up to 20% of new cancers diagnosed in the US are in someone with a prior cancer history.

Ask your oncology team for a written Survivorship Care Plan at the end of active treatment — it lists every drug you received, total doses, late-effect risks, and a year-by-year follow-up schedule. ASCO publishes templates if your team doesn't offer one.

Clinical trials

Find a clinical trial you might qualify for

ClinicalTrials.gov lists every registered trial in the US and most international ones — over 30,000 active cancer studies. Filter by cancer type and location; bring matches to your oncology team to assess eligibility.

Cancer typeLocation (city, state, country)

Search recruiting trials →All trials (incl. closed)

Other useful resources: NCI's trial finder, Lazarex (covers travel costs for trial participation), and your NCI-designated cancer center's research office.

By region

A disease without borders

High-income regions detect more cases — but lower-income regions carry a heavier share of deaths, because diagnosis often comes late and treatment is harder to reach.

Asia

55% mortality

Europe

45% mortality

North America

28% mortality

Latin America

46% mortality

Africa

62% mortality

Oceania

22% mortality

Treated & in remission

Millions are living after cancer

A cancer diagnosis is no longer the same as it was a generation ago. More people than ever are completing treatment and living for years — many cancer-free — thanks to earlier detection, better therapies, and ongoing follow-up care.

Cancer survivors · United States

19.8M

ACS 2026 · projected 22.5M by 2032

5-year survivors · worldwide

56.5M

2025 · IARC projection

US survivors in remission

68%

≈ 12M no longer in active treatment

Curable when caught early

90%

for many common cancers · NCI SEER

US cancer survivors (millions)

ACS / NCI

5-year survival by cancer type (US)

SEER 2014–2020

A word on "remission". Remission means signs and symptoms of cancer have decreased or disappeared. Complete remission means no detectable disease; partial remission means significant shrinkage. Doctors typically reserve the word "cured" for people who remain cancer-free for many years.

The arc of progress

Survival is rising. Deaths are falling.

Decades of research, earlier screening, and better treatments have meaningfully changed the prognosis. In the US, the cancer death rate has dropped about a third since its 1991 peak — an estimated 4 million lives saved.

5-year survival, all cancers (US)

SEER, NCI

US cancer death rate · per 100,000

ACS / CDC

What helps

Roughly 4 in 10 cancers are preventable

No single habit can eliminate risk, but research consistently points to a handful of choices that meaningfully shift the odds.

Don't smoke

Tobacco causes ~22% of cancer deaths worldwide — the single largest preventable cause.

Move daily

Just 150 minutes of moderate activity a week lowers risk for at least 13 cancers.

Screen on schedule

Mammograms, colonoscopies and HPV tests catch disease when it's most treatable.

Vaccinate

HPV and hepatitis B vaccines prevent the infections behind cervical and liver cancers.

Signs to watch for

Early signs that get cancer detected sooner

Most of these symptoms are caused by something other than cancer — but when they linger, getting checked early is one of the most powerful things a person can do. Detection at an early stage can raise survival from single digits to over 90% for many cancers.

Unexplained weight loss

Losing 10+ pounds without trying can be an early sign of pancreatic, stomach, esophageal, or lung cancer.

No diet changeLasting > a few weeks

Persistent fatigue

Tiredness that doesn't improve with rest may signal leukemia or some colon and stomach cancers from internal blood loss.

Rest doesn't helpInterferes with daily life

A new lump or thickening

Any new lump in the breast, testicle, lymph nodes, or soft tissue that persists deserves a check — even painless ones.

BreastNeck / armpitTesticle

Skin changes

A mole that changes in size, shape, or color — or a sore that won't heal — can point to skin cancer. Yellowing skin or eyes may signal liver or pancreatic cancer.

AsymmetryColor changeWon't heal

Changes in bowel or bladder habits

Long-term constipation, diarrhea, blood in stool, or changes in urination can be signs of colorectal, prostate, or bladder cancer.

Blood in stool/urinePersistent change

Persistent cough or hoarseness

A cough lasting more than 3 weeks, coughing up blood, or a hoarse voice that doesn't go away can indicate lung or throat cancer.

Cough > 3 weeksBlood in sputum

Difficulty swallowing or indigestion

Ongoing trouble swallowing, or persistent indigestion, may be linked to esophageal, stomach, or throat cancer.

Food sticksLasts weeks

Unusual bleeding or bruising

Bleeding between periods, after menopause, or easy bruising can signal cervical, uterine, or blood cancers.

Post-menopausalFrequent bruises

When in doubt, get it checked. These signs are educational only. A clinician can rule things out quickly — and when cancer is found, early detection dramatically improves outcomes.

Environmental factors

The planet we live on shapes the cancer we get

The World Health Organization estimates that 19% of all cancers — and more than 1.3 million deaths a year — are linked to the environment we breathe, drink, and work in. Here are the biggest drivers being reported worldwide.

Cancer deaths linked to environment

1145K+

WHO · per year worldwide

Share of all cancers

≈ 19%

environmentally attributable

People breathing unsafe air

99%

of global population · WHO 2024

IARC Group 1 carcinogens

127

agents classified to date

Outdoor air pollution (PM2.5)

Rising

350Kattributable cancer deaths / year

Classified Group 1 carcinogen by IARC. 99% of the world's population breathes air exceeding WHO limits.

Linked cancers

Lung, bladder

Indoor air & household fuels

Falling

240Kattributable cancer deaths / year

Solid-fuel cooking and heating still affect 2.3 billion people, mostly in low- and middle-income countries.

Linked cancers

Lung

UV radiation & ozone loss

Rising

120Kattributable cancer deaths / year

Global melanoma incidence has roughly doubled since 1990; warming and outdoor exposure compound UV risk.

Linked cancers

Melanoma, skin

Asbestos & occupational dust

Mixed

200Kattributable cancer deaths / year

Banned in 70+ countries but still mined and used in many. Exposure today causes deaths 20–40 years later.

Linked cancers

Mesothelioma, lung

Pesticides & agricultural chemicals

Rising

60Kattributable cancer deaths / year

Glyphosate and several organochlorines flagged by IARC as probable carcinogens; usage up ~80% since 1990.

Linked cancers

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia

Contaminated drinking water

Mixed

55Kattributable cancer deaths / year

Arsenic affects 140M+ people across 70 countries. Disinfection byproducts and PFAS are emerging concerns.

Linked cancers

Bladder, skin, liver

Ionizing radiation (radon, medical)

Mixed

90Kattributable cancer deaths / year

Indoor radon is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer worldwide after tobacco. Medical CT use is rising fast.

Linked cancers

Lung, thyroid

PFAS, microplastics & endocrine disruptors

Rising

30Kattributable cancer deaths / year

PFAS detected in the blood of 99% of Americans tested. Emerging evidence; true global burden likely under-counted.

Linked cancers

Kidney, testicular, breast

Air-pollution cancer deaths · worldwide (thousands)

State of Global Air · IHME

Why this matters. Unlike genetic risk, environmental exposures are modifiable at scale. Cleaner air, safer chemicals, asbestos bans, and household-fuel transitions have already cut millions of future cancers — and remain among the most cost-effective levers in public health.

Latest research

New studies coming out about cancer

A live feed of recent reporting on cancer research, breakthroughs, and clinical trials from around the web.

A note on this data. Figures are rounded estimates compiled from the World Health Organization's GLOBOCAN 2022 database with IARC projections to 2025–2026, the American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts & Figures 2026, the CDC's United States Cancer Statistics (2017–2022), NCI SEER survival data, and the 2025 State of Global Air report. The "Latest research" feed pulls live news from the past month. This atlas is for general education — it is not medical advice. For personal guidance, please speak with a qualified clinician.

Cancer in numbers — and the long, hopeful arc of progress against it.

The shape of cancer, in numbers

Cancer by age, sex, and demographics

Incidence by age group

Top cancers in this slice

How cancer falls on the two sexes

US new cases by cancer type · 2026 projection

Cancers reported by age group

Children

Adolescents & young adults

Adults

Older adults

Cancer in dogs and cats

Most common cancers in dogs

Most common cancers in cats

Warning signs in pets

Where the global burden falls

What's driving each diagnosis

Lung

Breast

Colorectal

Prostate

Stomach

Liver

Thyroid

Cervical

The cancers we now cure — and what's curing them

Cure rate when caught early

Breakthroughs · 2025–2026

Cure rate by cancer type — all 20 major cancers

Six pillars of modern cures

Early detection

Surgery

Immunotherapy

Targeted therapy

CAR-T cell therapy

Vaccines & prevention

Cancer across the 50 states

New cases · 2026

Top cancer centers and oncologists

Northeast

South

Midwest

West

Death rate by cancer type

Total US deaths · 2026

Death rate by cancer type · worldwide

Total worldwide deaths · GLOBOCAN 2022

Death by state

Projected cancer deaths · 2026

Cancer risk by blood type

Relative risk vs Type O

Cancer risk: drinkers vs non-drinkers

Relative risk vs lifetime non-drinkers

Cancer risk: smokers vs non-smokers

Relative risk vs lifetime never-smokers

Cancer risk: red and white blood cell counts

Red cell findings → cancers to think of

Cancer mortality vs air quality, by state

Side-by-side: PM2.5 vs cancer mortality

Cancer vs technology and data center concentration

Side-by-side: data centers vs cancer mortality

Cancer mortality vs median household income, by state

Side-by-side: median income vs cancer mortality

What blood work reveals over the course of cancer

Classic tumor markers

How to actually screen for cancer — by sex and by decade

Ages 18 – 39

Ages 40 – 44

Ages 45 – 64

Ages 65 – 75

Ages 76+

Build your screening checklist

What you actually pay for screening

What cancer actually costs — by cancer and by treatment

The cost of cancer is itself a treatment side effect

What's new for each cancer (2020–2025)

Breast

Why everything new looks like a Greek letter

Where Americans go to the doctor — and where they move