100 MAJOR FACTS ABOUT CANCER YOU MUST KNOW
- Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
- There are over 100 different types of cancer, and any part of the body can be affected.
- In 2025, there will be an estimated 2.2 million new cancer cases diagnosed and 609,360 cancer deaths in the United States.
- The most common cancers diagnosed in men are prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers. For women, the 3 most common cancers are breast, lung, and colorectal.
- 80% of all cancers in the United States are diagnosed in people 55 years of age or older.
- Childhood cancers account for 1 percent of all new cancer diagnoses. In 2018, about 15,590 children and teens ages (ages 0-19) were diagnosed with cancer.
- About 67% of Americans diagnosed with cancer survive five or more years after their diagnoses.
- In 2016, there were an estimated 15.5 million cancer survivors in the US. The number of cancer survivors is expected to increase to 20.3 million by 2026.
- Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally — it accounts for 1 in 6 deaths around the world.
- Globally, approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries.
- 30-50% of cancer cases are preventable.
- Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of cancer. Smoking tobacco accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths and 80% of all lung cancer deaths.
- Maintaining a healthy body mass index, eating high amounts of fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco use, and limiting alcohol use can help reduce the risk of cancer.
- Cancer screening tests can help prevent thousands of additional cancer cases and deaths.
- The number of Americans with a history of cancer is growing due to the aging and growth of the population, as well as improving survival rates.
- Colorectal cancer is the 3rd most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and women in the United States.
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in the United States and the 2nd leading cause of death from cancer among women.
- African American/Black people have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial/ethnic group in the US for most cancers.
- Almost half of the deaths from cancer estimated to occur this year are expected to be linked to things people do every day—their lifestyles.
- Cancer can grow in your bones, bone marrow, blood, and lymphatic system.
- There are more than 100 different kinds of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.
- Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children.
- Encouraging loved ones to quit smoking can help reduce their risk of cancer.
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, can help prevent cancer.
- Regular cancer screenings, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, can detect cancer early when it is most treatable.
- Cancer research is ongoing to develop new and more effective treatments.
- Advances in cancer treatment have led to improved survival rates for many types of cancer.
- Personalized medicine and targeted therapies are becoming more common in cancer treatment.
- Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells.
- Radiation therapy is a common treatment for many types of cancer, using high-energy particles or waves to destroy cancer cells.
- Surgery is often used to remove solid tumors or cancerous tissues from the body.
- Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells.
- Cancer can spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
- Risk factors for cancer include age, family history, certain infections, exposure to radiation, and certain chemicals.
- Cancer can cause a variety of symptoms, depending on the type and location of the cancer.
- Early detection and treatment are key to improving outcomes for many types of cancer.
- Cancer research has led to a better understanding of the genetic and molecular changes that drive cancer growth.
- Clinical trials are important for testing new cancer treatments and improving existing ones.
- Cancer survivorship is an important focus in cancer care, addressing the physical, emotional, and practical needs of cancer survivors.
- Palliative care is an approach to care that focuses on improving the quality of life for people with serious illnesses, including cancer.
- Cancer can cause a variety of physical symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, nausea, and weight loss.
- Cancer can also have emotional and social impacts, such as anxiety, depression, and changes in relationships and roles.
- Support services, such as counseling, support groups, and patient navigation, can help people with cancer and their families cope with the challenges of the disease.
- Cancer can be treated with a combination of therapies, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
- Targeted therapies are drugs that target specific genetic changes or proteins in cancer cells.
- Hormone therapy is a type of cancer treatment that blocks or lowers hormone levels to slow or stop cancer growth.
- Stem cell transplants are used to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy stem cells.
- Cancer can be classified by the type of cell where it starts (e.g., carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma).
- Cancer can also be classified by its stage, which describes the size of the tumor and how far it has spread in the body.
- Cancer treatment can cause side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, hair loss, and an increased risk of infection.
- Cancer survivors may face long-term effects of treatment, such as infertility, heart problems, and second cancers.
- Cancer research has led to the development of new screening tests, such as low-dose CT scans for lung cancer.
- Cancer research has also led to the development of new biomarkers, which are substances or characteristics that can be measured to detect or monitor cancer.
- Cancer research is ongoing to develop new and more effective treatments, such as CAR T-cell therapy and oncolytic viruses.
- Cancer research is also focused on understanding the role of the immune system in cancer development and progression.
- Cancer research is also exploring the potential of personalized medicine, which tailors treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient’s cancer.
- Cancer research is also investigating the role of lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, in cancer prevention and treatment.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of liquid biopsies, which are blood tests that can detect cancer cells or DNA.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of combination therapies, which use two or more treatments together to improve effectiveness.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of epigenetic therapies, which target the changes in gene expression that can lead to cancer.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer vaccines, which stimulate the immune system to fight cancer cells.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer screening programs to detect cancer early in large populations.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer registries to collect data on cancer incidence, treatment, and outcomes.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of patient-reported outcomes to improve cancer care and research.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of big data and data analytics to identify patterns and insights in cancer data.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of social media and digital technologies to engage patients and support cancer research.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of precision oncology, which uses genetic and molecular information to tailor treatment to each patient’s cancer.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer health disparities research to address inequities in cancer prevention, detection, and treatment.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of global cancer research collaborations to address the global burden of cancer.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer survivorship research to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer prevention research to identify and implement effective strategies for cancer prevention.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer health services research to improve the delivery and quality of cancer care.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer biology research to understand the fundamental mechanisms of cancer development and progression.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer epidemiology research to identify risk factors and patterns of cancer incidence and mortality.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer control research to develop and evaluate interventions to reduce the burden of cancer.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer disparities research to understand and address the social, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to inequities in cancer outcomes.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer communication research to develop effective strategies for communicating cancer information to diverse audiences.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer education research to develop and evaluate educational interventions to improve cancer knowledge and behavior.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer advocacy research to understand and support the role of cancer advocates in cancer research and policy.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer health economics research to assess the costs and benefits of cancer prevention, detection, and treatment interventions.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer implementation science research to understand and improve the process of translating cancer research into practice.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer health literacy research to develop and evaluate strategies for improving cancer health literacy among diverse populations.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer genomics research to understand the genetic and molecular basis of cancer and develop targeted therapies.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer immunology research to understand the role of the immune system in cancer development and progression and develop immunotherapies.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer metabolism research to understand the unique metabolic properties of cancer cells and develop metabolic therapies.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer stem cell research to understand the role of cancer stem cells in cancer development, progression, and treatment resistance.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer microenvironment research to understand the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer development and progression and develop therapies that target the microenvironment.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer epigenetics research to understand the role of epigenetic changes in cancer development and progression and develop epigenetic therapies.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer systems biology research to understand the complex networks of interactions that drive cancer development and progression and develop systems-based therapies.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer nanotechnology research to develop nanoparticle-based therapies and imaging agents for cancer.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer bioinformatics research to develop computational tools and methods for analyzing and interpreting cancer data.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer biomarker research to identify and validate biomarkers for cancer detection, prognosis, and treatment selection.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer clinical trials research to develop and evaluate new cancer therapies and improve the design and conduct of clinical trials.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer survivorship research to understand and address the long-term effects of cancer and its treatment and improve the quality of life for cancer survivors.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer prevention research to identify and implement effective strategies for preventing cancer, including lifestyle interventions, screening programs, and targeted therapies.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer health disparities research to understand and address the social, economic, and cultural factors that contribute to inequities in cancer outcomes and develop interventions to reduce disparities.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer global health research to understand and address the global burden of cancer and develop strategies for improving cancer prevention, detection, and treatment worldwide.
- Cancer research is also investigating the use of cancer patient-centered outcomes research to understand and incorporate the perspectives and priorities of cancer patients and survivors into cancer research and care.
- Cancer research is also exploring the use of cancer implementation science research to understand and improve the process of translating cancer research into practice and ensuring that all patients have access to high-quality cancer care.