The number of people living with a history of cancer in the United States is estimated at 18.6 million as of January 1, 2025, and projected to exceed 22 million by 2035, according to a new report, Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Statistics, 2025, led by the American Cancer Society (ACS). The study also found notable disparities in treatment for many common cancers, including lung and colorectal. The findings were published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians,1 alongside its consumer-friendly companion, Fast Facts: Cancer Treatment and Survivorship, available on cancer.org.
“Behind every survivor of cancer, there is a story of resilience, but also of unmet needs,” said Nikita Sandeep Wagle, PhD, MBBS, MHA, a principal scientist of Cancer Surveillance Research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report. “Many survivors cope with critical issues, such as long-term effects of treatment, financial hardship, and fear of recurrence. It’s vital we recognize and respond to these needs in an equitable manner.”
Nikita Sandeep Wagle, PhD, MBBS, MHA
For the study, ACS and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) collaborated to estimate cancer prevalence in the United States using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries and National Center for Health Statistics, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, and the U.S. Census Bureau. In addition, cancer treatment patterns were presented from the National Cancer Database along with a brief overview of treatment-related side effects.
Study Highlights
The three most prevalent cancers are prostate (3,552,460), melanoma of the skin (816,580), and colorectal (729,550) among males and breast (4,305,570), uterine corpus (945,540), and thyroid (859,890) among females.
About one-half (51%) of cancer survivors were diagnosed within the past 10 years, and nearly four out of five (79%) cancer survivors were aged 60 years or older.
The number of cancer survivors varies by state, from almost two million in California to about 32,000 in Wyoming and 29,000 in the District of Columbia, largely reflecting population size.
The number of female breast cancer survivors is projected to reach 5.3 million by January 1, 2035—an increase of one million women from 2025—marking the largest projected growth among the top 10 most prevalent cancers.
Uninsured people diagnosed with stage I colorectal cancer have lower 5-year survival rates than privately insured people with stage II colorectal cancer.
Racial differences in treatment in 2021 were common across disease stage. Black people with stage I or II lung cancer were less likely to undergo surgery than their White counterparts (47% vs 52%).
Larger disparities exist for rectal cancer, with 39% of Black people with stage I disease undergoing surgery compared with 64% of their White counterparts.
“Efforts to expand access to high-quality care regardless of your skin color or bank balance are vital to reducing disparities and advancing equity for everyone affected by cancer, which is ultimately all of us,” said Rebecca Siegel, MPH, Senior Scientific Director, Cancer Surveillance Research at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the study. “We need to do more to level the playing field and end barriers to quality care both during and after treatment.”
Lisa A. Lacasse, MBA
“These findings demonstrate that early detection and improved treatment are making a real difference in the fight against cancer,” said Lisa A. Lacasse, MBA, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. “There continues to be an urgent need to protect and expand access to care, especially at a time when proposed cuts to Medicaid and prevention and screening programs threaten to reverse our progress and undo the gains we have achieved. We cannot afford to turn back the clock now. ACS CAN will continue to work with lawmakers to stress that cuts have consequences and will only slow our work to end cancer as we know it, for everyone.”
DISCLOSURE: For disclosures of the study authors, visit acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com.
REFERENCE
1. Wagle NS, Nogueira L, Devasia TP, et al: Cancer treatment and survivorship statistics, 2025. CA Cancer J Clin. May 30, 2025 (early release online).
