Deaths by cancer in the U.S. 1950-2022

Cancer was responsible for around 142 deaths per 100,000 population in the United States in 2022. The death rate for cancer has steadily decreased since the 1990’s, but cancer still remains the second leading cause of death in the United States. The deadliest type of cancer for both men and women is cancer of the lung and bronchus which will account for an estimated 65,790 deaths among men alone in 2024. 

Probability of surviving

Survival rates for cancer vary significantly depending on the type of cancer. The cancers with the highest rates of survival include cancers of the thyroid, prostate, and testis, with five-year survival rates as high as 99 percent for thyroid cancer. The cancers with the lowest five-year survival rates include cancers of the pancreas, liver, and esophagus. 

Risk factors

It is difficult to determine why one person develops cancer while another does not, but certain risk factors have been shown to increase a person’s chance of developing cancer. For example, cigarette smoking has been proven to increase the risk of developing various cancers. In fact, around 81 percent of cancers of the lung, bronchus and trachea among adults aged 30 years and older can be attributed to cigarette smoking. A recent poll indicated that many U.S. adults believed smoking cigarettes and using other tobacco products increased a person’s risk of developing cancer, but a much smaller percentage believed the same for proven risk factors such as obesity and drinking alcohol.