Cancer Death Rates Decline Across America

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Cancer death rates in the U.S. are steadily falling—a rare, sustained public health victory.

Despite the global disruption caused by COVID-19, new data from the 2024 Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer shows that Americans are now significantly less likely to die from cancer than they were two decades ago.

Steady Progress in Cancer Survival: A National Achievement

Published April 21, 2025, the annual report from the National Cancer Institute and key partners confirms a sustained decline in cancer death rates across the United States between 2001 and 2022. This reduction—occurring even during the COVID-19 pandemic—underscores advances in early detection, treatment, and prevention.

National Trends Show Significant Decline in Cancer Mortality

Between 2001 and 2022, overall cancer death rates declined consistently among both men and women. This progress reflects decades of efforts in tobacco control, better screening technologies, and improved therapies.

Lung cancer, in particular, saw a major decline in both new cases and mortality—driven largely by anti-smoking campaigns and targeted treatment innovations. Lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer in the U.S., yet recent advances have markedly shifted outcomes.

Gender and Age Differences in Cancer Incidence

While death rates are declining, cancer incidence—the rate of new diagnoses—shows a more complex trend.

Among men, incidence decreased from 2001 through 2013 and then stabilized.
Among women, incidence slightly increased every year from 2003 to 2021, with 2020 being the exception.

This gradual rise in female diagnoses is partly due to obesity-related cancers. Younger women under 50 now have 82% higher cancer incidence rates than men in the same age group.

Disparities Persist Across Demographics

Racial and ethnic disparities remain a significant concern. From 2017 to 2021:

Non-Hispanic Black men had the highest cancer incidence among males.
American Indian and Alaska Native women had the highest among females.

The report also noted uneven progress in mortality reduction across racial groups. For example, Black Americans saw smaller improvements in lung cancer survival compared to White populations, highlighting persistent healthcare access and screening gaps.

COVID-19: Diagnosis Disruption and Recovery

In 2020, cancer diagnoses dropped sharply across all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. This drop correlated with pandemic-related healthcare disruptions rather than actual declines in disease occurrence.

Despite varied local COVID-19 restrictions, the decline was uniform nationwide—reinforcing the critical importance of maintaining healthcare access during crises. By 2021, cancer incidence rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.

Obesity-Linked Cancers on the Rise

Several cancers linked to obesity are increasing in incidence, especially among women. These include:

Breast
Uterine
Colorectal
Pancreatic
Kidney
Liver

The rise of these cancers suggests that lifestyle-related risk factors are becoming more influential, especially in younger demographics.

Trends in U.S. Cancer Statistics: 2001–2022

Metric	Trend (2001–2022)	Notes
Cancer death rates (overall)	Declined steadily	Applies to men, women, children—even during COVID-19
Lung cancer	Major declines in both incidence and mortality	Reflects anti-smoking efforts and treatment innovations
Cancer incidence (men)	Decreased, then stabilized	Stabilized after 2013
Cancer incidence (women)	Slight increase	Upward trend except 2020
Childhood cancer deaths	Declined steadily	Adolescents/young adults: decline has slowed recently
Obesity-linked cancers	Increasing incidence	Especially affecting women under 50
Racial disparities	Persistent and significant	Black men, AI/AN women most affected by high incidence and mortality

Survivor Numbers and Economic Implications

Today, 18.1 million Americans—5.4% of the U.S. population—are cancer survivors. This growth signals not just better survival rates, but longer, healthier lives post-treatment. Since 1991, an estimated 4.5 million cancer deaths have been averted due to advances in care and prevention.

The economic benefits are also clear:

Fewer deaths reduce long-term care costs.
Survivors contribute more consistently to the workforce.
Early detection saves billions in treatment costs.

Spotlight on Breast and Prostate Cancer

Breast cancer incidence has slowly increased, but the death rate continues to fall, showing the effectiveness of early screening and treatment programs.

Meanwhile, prostate cancer—once on the decline—has shown an unexpected 3% annual increase in incidence from 2014 to 2019, indicating a need for renewed focus on men’s health education and early diagnostics.

Policy and Clinical Priorities Moving Forward

The report emphasizes actionable guidance for multiple audiences:

For Healthcare Professionals:

Maintain routine screenings, especially for high-risk populations.
Focus on early diagnosis for obesity-related and gender-specific cancers.

For Policymakers:

Support equitable healthcare access and funding for public health infrastructure.
Invest in community-level screening initiatives and education programs.

To the Public:

Prioritize healthy lifestyle choices.
Participate in routine screenings.
Advocate for equitable access to cancer care and prevention.

A Public Health Victory with Caveats

The United States has made extraordinary progress in reducing cancer mortality. Yet, rising incidence rates in young women, the growing burden of obesity-linked cancers, and persistent racial disparities underscore that the fight is far from over.

Continued efforts in prevention, early detection, and equitable care will determine whether these positive trends can be sustained and extended to all communities.

Continue Reading:
For deeper insights into how cancer trends are shaping U.S. public health policy and what this means for your community, explore the full Annual Report to the Nation here.

Sources: National Institutes of Health.