Annual Report to the Nation: Progress Against Lung Cancer Drives Down Cancer Mortality

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Cancer death rates fell for both men and women from 2019 to 2023, continuing a downward trend that has lasted more than 20 years, according to the 2026 Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, published in the journal Cancer. The continued decline in cancer deaths is driven largely by accelerated progress against lung cancer.

The special topic of the report focuses on changes in lung cancer risk factors and related outcomes during the first quarter of the 21st century. Despite significant progress, lung cancer remains the second most common cancer in both men and women and the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. Researchers noted that, beyond further reductions in cigarette smoking and supporting tobacco-free environments, sustaining progress against lung cancer may depend on access to early cancer detection, timely diagnosis, and state-of-the-art treatment.

The report also examines trends in new U.S. cancer cases from 2003 to 2022. Overall rates of new cancer cases rose slightly each year from 2018 to 2022, driven by increases in breast cancer among women and prostate cancer among men. Breast and prostate cancer remain the most common cancers among women and men, respectively. Despite the increase in prostate cancer, the overall rate of new cancer cases among men remained stable.

The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer provides yearly updates on cancer rates and trends in the United States and each year includes a special topic of interest. The report is a collaborative effort among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health; the American Cancer Society; and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR). This year the report examines trends in new U.S. cancer cases from 2003 to 2022 and deaths from 2004 to 2023. The report uses cancer registry data supported by CDC and NCI and compiled by NAACCR, as well as cancer death data from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

For more information and to read the full report, go to Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, featuring 21st century progress against lung cancer - Henley - 2026 - Cancer - Wiley Online Library

About the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC's world-leading experts protect lives and livelihoods, national security and the U.S. economy by providing timely, commonsense information, and rapidly identifying and responding to diseases, including outbreaks and illnesses. CDC drives science, public health research, and data innovation in communities across the country by investing in local initiatives to protect everyone's health. For more information, please visit cdc.gov

About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI is the largest funder of cancer research in the world. It leads the National Cancer Program, conducting and supporting cancer research as part of NIH's mission to advance scientific knowledge and help all people live longer, healthier lives. For more information about cancer, please visit cancer.gov or call NCI's contact center, the Cancer Information Service, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)

About the American Cancer Society (ACS): The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 110 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, X, and Instagram

About the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR): The North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, Inc., is a professional organization that develops and promotes uniform data standards for cancer registration; provides education and training; certifies population-based registries; aggregates and publishes data from central cancer registries; and promotes the use of cancer surveillance data and systems for cancer control and epidemiologic research, public health programs, and patient care to reduce the burden of cancer in North America. For more information, please visit naaccr.org.