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On January 13th, the American Cancer Society (ACS) released the 2026 Cancer Statistics Report. This report is the gold standard of cancer surveillance research in the United States. It highlights cancer facts, incidence, and mortality rate trends for the current year. In addition, the organization is celebrating the 75th anniversary of ACS researchers analyzing and disseminating cancer data to inform cancer control and help improve public health.
Data in the report, published by Siegel et al. in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, reveal new findings. The five-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined reached 70% for people diagnosed during 2015 – 2021 in the United States. Notably, among people diagnosed with multiple myeloma, liver cancer, and lung cancer (the leading cause of cancer death), survival has improved compared to the mid-1990s. This improvement is largely due to early detection and better treatments. However, although cancer mortality rates have continued to decline, incidence has continued to increase for many common cancers, such as breast, prostate, liver, melanoma, and pancreas (Siegel et al., 2026). This emphasizes the need for more investment in cancer research, prevention, and survivorship.
Despite these advancements, researchers are concerned that the progress made with many decades of scientific research and investment to increase survival rates among cancer patients may be at risk due to proposed changes to federally supported research and health insurance, which are key factors in patients having access to life-saving cancer treatments.
For more information, follow the Cancer Statistics 2026 Report link below:
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