Sign In

Research

News & Views

Breaking News

ACS releases Cancer Facts & Figures report

​​​The American Cancer Society has released key findings from Cancer Statistics 2025 and its consumer-friendly companion, Cancer Facts & Figures 2025. The report, published annually since 1951, is considered the gold standard for cancer surveillance information, with timely cancer findings to help improve the lives of people with cancer.

This year’s report shows the cancer mortality rate declined by 34% from 1991 to 2022 in the United States, averting approximately 4.5 million deaths. However, this steady progress is jeopardized by increasing incidence for many cancer types, especially among women and younger adults, shifting the burden of disease. For example, incidence rates in women 50-64 years of age have surpassed those in men, and rates in women under 50 are now 82% higher than their male counterparts, up from 51% in 2002. This pattern includes lung cancer, which is now higher in women than in men among people younger than 65 years. These important findings are published Jan. 16 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, alongside Cancer Facts & Figures 2025, available on cancer.org.​​

“Continued reductions in cancer mortality because of drops in smoking, better treatment, and earlier detection is certainly great news,” said Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report. “However, this progress is tempered by rising incidence in young and middle-aged women, who are often the family caregivers, and a shifting cancer burden from men to women, harkening back to the early 1900s when cancer was more common in women.”

Learn More and Share

We should be proud of the Cancer Facts & Figures suite of publications, their significant role in the medical and scientific community, and the trusted resource they have become for so many worldwide. We encourage you to become familiar with these resources, share them, and know where to go with questions.​

​Overall, in 2025, there will be an estimated 2,041,910 new cancer diagnoses in the US (5,600 each day) and 618,120 cancer deaths. In addition to projecting the contemporary cancer burden, ACS researchers compiled the most recent findings on population-based cancer occurrence and outcomes using incidence data collected by central cancer registries (through 2021) and mortality data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics (through 2022).

The report also highlights lagging progress against pancreatic cancer, which is the third leading cause of cancer death in the US. Both incidence and mortality rates are increasing, and the five-year survival rate is just 8% for the 9 out of 10 people diagnosed with pancreatic exocrine tumors.

Other highlights from the report include:

  • Despite overall declines in cancer mortality, death rates are increasing for cancers of the oral cavity, pancreas, uterine corpus, and liver (female).

  • Additionally, alarming inequalities in cancer mortality persist, with rates in Native American people 2-3 times higher than White people for kidney, liver, stomach, and cervical cancers. Black people are twice as likely to die of prostate, stomach, and uterine corpus cancers compared to White people and 50% more likely to die from cervical cancer, which is preventable.

  • Incidence rates continue to climb for common cancers, including breast (female), prostate (steepest increase at 3% per year from 2014-2021), pancreatic, uterine corpus, melanoma (female), liver (female), and oral cancers associated with the human papillomavirus. 

  • The rate of new diagnoses of colorectal cancer in men and women younger than 65 years of age and cervical cancer in women (30-44 years of age) has also increased. Notably, lung cancer incidence in women under 65 years of age surpassed men for the first time in 2021 (15.7 versus 15.4 per 100,000 people).

  • Cancer incidence in children (14 years of age and younger) declined in recent years after decades of increase but continued to rise among adolescents (ages 15-19 years). Mortality rates have dropped by 70% in children and by 63% in adolescents since 1970, largely because of improved treatment for leukemia.

​Quick facts about ACS Cancer Facts & Figures 

  • Since 1951, Cancer Facts & Figures has been the public’s go-to resource for timely cancer information. This annual report provides the most current information about cancer.
  • The audience for the publication extends not just nationwide, but globally, and equips health professionals, educators, policymakers, patients, and others with crucial findings.
  • Once a stand-alone publication, Cancer Facts & Figures is now the flagship work in a highly regarded series of nine reports under the purview of the Surveillance and Health Equity Science team. Updating each report is about a 6-month collaboration between renowned cancer experts from ACS and other top research institutions across the country.
  • Each Cancer Facts & Figures report is published with a companion article in the ACS journal, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
  • A unique feature of Cancer Facts & Figures is their state-specific data: the publications break down projections by state and at the national level.
  • ACS Cancer Facts & Figures publications are downloaded on average about 9,000 per month or about 300 times every single day.

  • ACS awards more than $98M in research grants

    ​​The American Cancer Society, the largest non-government, nonprofit funding source of cancer research in the United States, has announced funding for $98 million in new Extramural Discovery Science (EDS) research grants. The awards will fund investigators at 106 institutions across the United States starting this month. 
     
    This slate of new grants includes the previously announced recipients of the Yosemite-ACS Awards, the new Catalyst Awards, and all of the research grants awarded through our standard grant mechanisms including Postdoctoral Fellowships, Research Scholar Grants, Discovery Boost Grants, and more. A full list of all the new awards included in this grant slate can be found on cancer.org.  
     
    Altogether, ACS invested more than $132 million in new cancer research in 2024. With an investment of more than five billion dollars since 1946, ACS has a legacy of supporting lifesaving cancer research, including supporting the work of 53 researchers who have gone on to win the Nobel Prize for their work.

  • ACS and ACS CAN commend U.S. Surgeon General’s efforts to reduce alcohol-related cancers

    On Friday, Jan. 3, the United States Surgeon General released a new advisory report, citing evidence that links alcohol consumption with an increased risk of cancer. ACS supports these efforts to drive awareness of the correlation between alcohol and cancer diagnosis and death. According to ACS research, consumption of alcohol has a clear association with cancer diagnosis and death, with 6% of all cancers and 4% of all cancer deaths in the United States attributed to alcohol consumption. In 2024 alone, it is predicted that alcohol use will have contributed to 120,000 new cancer diagnoses and more than 24,000 deaths.

    "Today’s advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General brings necessary awareness to the risks of alcohol consumption as it relates to cancer incidence,” said Dr. Bill Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society. “Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer. It is imperative that people are made aware of the potential impact of alcohol consumption and are met with recommendations on how to reduce their risk.”

    Dr. Dahut was also quoted in multiple media outlets about the report, including:

    • NBC News: Surgeon general's suggestion to put a cancer warning on alcohol is long overdue, doctors say
    • The Washington Post: How much alcohol is safe to drink? 
    • MedPageToday: Surgeon General calls for stronger wording of cancer risk on alcohol packages 

    ​More information on ACS guidelines for alcohol use can be found on cancer.org.

  • Study finds early-onset colorectal cancer cases surge globally

    ​A new study led by ACS researchers shows that early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rates are rising in 27 of 50 countries/territories worldwide, 20 of which have either exclusive or faster increases for early-onset disease. ​

    In 14 countries, including the United States, rates are increasing in young adults while stabilizing in those 50 years and older. The research is published in the journal The Lancet Oncology.

    “The increase in early-onset colorectal cancer is a global phenomenon,” said Dr. Hyuna Sung, senior principal scientist, cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study. ​

    “The global scope of this concerning trend highlights the need for innovative tools to prevent and control cancers linked to dietary habits, physical inactivity, and excess body weight. Ongoing efforts are essential to identify the additional factors behind these trends and to develop effective prevention strategies tailored to younger generations and local resources worldwide,” added Sung. “Raising awareness of the trend and the distinct symptoms of early-onset colorectal cancer (e.g., rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and unexplained weight loss) among young people and primary care providers can help reduce delays in diagnosis and decrease mortality.”

    Other ACS researchers contributing to the study include Rebecca Siegel, Chenxi Jiang, and senior author Dr. Ahmedin Jemal.

    Like and share the ACS post on X about this news.

  • Prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates rising in many low- and middle-income countries

    ​A new study led by ACS researchers shows prostate cancer incidence rates increased in 11 of 50 countries, mostly located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Central and Eastern Europe. Also, prostate cancer mortality trends climbed in nine of the 59 countries examined. In contrast, prostate cancer mortality declined in most high-income countries. The findings are published in the journal European Urology.​

    Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among men worldwide, with over 1,460,000 estimated cases and 396,000 deaths. By 2040, the prostate cancer burden is predicted to increase to approximately 2.4 million cases and 712,000 deaths solely due to the aging and growth of the population.​

    “The decline in prostate cancer mortality in most high-income countries reflects advances in early detection and treatment,” said Elizabeth Schafer, associate scientist, surveillance and health equity science at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study. “However, the availability of these advances is limited in many low- and middle-income countries, such as parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, which are experiencing increasing incidence and mortality rates.”

    Other ACS researchers contributing to the study include Dr. Hyuna Sung, Dr. William Dahut, and senior author Dr. Ahmedin Jemal.

    Like and share the ACS post on X about this news.

  • Former ACS grantees receive 2024 Nobel Prize honor

    ​​​​The Nobel Prize award ceremony recognizes the winners of the prestigious honor and pays tribute to Alfred Bernhard Nobel, a Swedish engineer, chemist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, who instituted the award. Three recipients of the 2024 Nobel Prize have received funding from ACS during their career. They are, pictured below, left to right, Dr. Victor Ambros, Dr. Gary Ruvkun, and Dr. David Baker. Additional information - plus a livestream of the Dec. 10 award ceremony - is available at https://www.nobelprize.org. 

    Since 1901, the Nobel Prizes have been presented to Nobel Prize laureates at ceremonies on Dec. 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. As stipulated in his will, the Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine and Literature are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, while the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway. 

    The American Cancer Society is honored to have given funding to 53 investigators who went on to win the Nobel Prize, considered the highest accolade any scientist can receive. This is a tribute to the Society’s Research program and the strength of its peer-review process. You can learn more about our 53 Nobel Laureates here. 

  • ACS DICR Post-Baccalaureate Fellows attend inaugural annual meeting

    ​Center supports a diverse cancer workforce by providing training and mentorship.

    The ACS Center for Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Training held its inaugural Post-Baccalaureate Fellows annual meeting Sept. 11 - 12 in Atlanta, GA. The theme of the meeting was “Boldly Breaking Barriers: Achieving Success as a Cancer Researcher”. 

    The attendees at the annual meeting included post-baccalaureate fellows, principal investigators, and program managers from 18 institutions across the country.

    The meeting provided an opportunity for fellows to present their research and network with others. Fellows also participated in mock interviews and learned more about future career paths and professional development.

    Dr. Rob Winn, director of the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and member of the ACS Board of Directors, gave the keynote address during the opening plenary session. He expressed the need to be as precise in our language as we are in our medicine. “We can’t become so smart that we forget the language of the community,” he said. “People, especially people of color, aren’t joining clinical trials because we’re explaining it to them in language that prevents them from understanding the intended outcomes.”

    Large entities and organizations need to focus on building institutional trustworthiness as opposed to building trust just on the individual level. Communities of color need to know they can trust organizations and institutions, because once the “trusted person” is no longer there, where does that leave the institution?



  • ACS Center for DICR Training addresses diverse representation in STEM fields

    ​National STEM Day raises awareness of ACS work to engage underrepresented populations.

    National STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Day is observed this year on Friday, Nov. 8. The day promotes and celebrates STEM disciplines and encourages youth interest and engagement in STEM subjects. Historically, certain racial and ethnic groups, persons from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those living with disabilities are not as well-represented in the STEM fields. Diversity in science invigorates problem-solving, drives innovation, and accelerates our fight for a cure.

    In addition to being underrepresented in STEM fields, many of these groups are those that bear a disproportionate burden of cancer: Black people, Hispanic and Latino people, Indigenous people: Native Americans and Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. While biomedical scientist numbers in the U.S. have grown 150% since the 1990s, the percentage of Hispanic and Black scientists have seen minimal growth.

    To address these gaps and encourage diverse representation in STEM fields, ACS launched the Center for Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Training in 2023. The goal of the Center is to attract, support, and develop students from groups underrepresented in science, ensuring they are competitive for successful careers in clinical, scientific, and related health professions.

    Today we celebrate the three initial programs that support diversity in STEM.

    DICR Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology is a two-week virtual program that introduces high school students who identify as female to cancer research and careers in cancer research and oncology care. Participants learn about the scientific method, conduct a small research study and learn about careers across the cancer continuum of research, care, and community engagement. Small-group clinical case studies focused on cancer disparities highlight challenges across diverse communities. Mentorship and collaboration enable students to develop a broad, diverse professional network. ACS funds and supports the program while sites manage the program, curriculum, recruitment, and evaluation. Since inception, the SHE in Oncology program has engaged 655 students. In the summer of 2025, the SHE program will expand to five new institutions, bringing the total to 15 institutions aiming to engage up to 300 students per year. 

    DICR Internships

    Biomedical research internship for undergraduate students focused on hands-on experience and mentorship. DICR Internships begins with a 10-week program that places participating interns in cancer research labs, clinical, or community settings, at institutional partners across the US. Interns engage in hands-on experience, receiving mentorship from leadings scientists in the field, while experiencing the day-to-day world of cancer research. Interns will participate in career development and networking activities through the year. For 2025, a total of 33 institutions will aim to recruit and train up to 240 interns. Interns consist of underrepresented minorities who are rising full-time sophomores, juniors, and seniors with an interest in STEM and have good academic standing of at least a 3.0 overall GPA.

    Through the DICR Internship Program, ACS aims to provide access to unique and impactful opportunities that empower underrepresented students to pursue careers in STEM. 

    DICR Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program

    Training and mentorship for pre-doctoral students aimed at improving readiness for graduate or professional school and training in cancer research. The Post-Baccalaureate Fellows Program consists of a two-year, paid certificate program focused on the challenges budding researchers face following undergraduate education and pursuit of graduate school training. This program will support pre-doctoral students as they prepare to pursue either a doctoral degree, e.g. PhD, MD, MD/PhD or other doctoral degrees across the varied fields of science and health professions. Students will receive mentorship, advanced science course work based on individual background and aspirations, and advisory services to support test prep and careers. In 2025, 27 institutions will engage 108 post-baccalaureate fellows, including 36 new fellows. This program will target students from groups underrepresented) in science including first generation college students, students from rural areas or those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, currently not in a degree program.

    ​​

  • New study finds social support linked with improved cancer screening

    A new study released on Oct. 17 shows social support measures were associated with improved cancer screening to varying degrees by site and age in the United States. The report found women who reported never or rarely receiving social-emotional support were nearly 40% less likely to be up to date with mammogram screening compared to those receiving it always. Also, living with a spouse or partner, but not children, was associated with increased participation in screening for breast and colorectal cancer. The findings are published today in the journal Cancer Causes & Control.

    “Social relationships can influence cancer screening in a variety of ways, like shaping access to emotional support and material resources. We were interested in looking at living arrangements and residential stability as structural sources of social support in the US," said Dr. Jordan Baeker Bispo, principal scientist, cancer disparity research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study. “These findings highlight the need for interventions that can help mobilize social support networks and address the unmet social needs of parents and caregivers."

    Other ACS researchers contributing to the study include Dr. Hyunjung Lee, Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, and senior author Dr. Farhad Islami.

    Like and share the ACS post on X about this news.​
back to top