Current estimates by The American Cancer Society (ACS) state that 2 million Americans are “living with cancer.” The ACS is constantly keeping an eye on those 2M to observe what happens to cancer patients after they are given that most-feared diagnosis. They are particularly concerned about the length of survival of cancer patients and how treatment affected their longevity and quality of life. What can be reported as fact is that over the past 30 years, early detection has improved, and that, plus abstinence from tobacco products, a healthy diet, and regularly scheduled screenings, have led to gradually improved survival rates. These data extend through 2023. Men have seen an overall decline in cancer incidence while women have seen a slight increase.
Early detection has been particularly important in the survival from breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers. But “high mortality cancers” have made the largest gains in improved survival; multiple myeloma, liver cancers, metastatic melanoma, metastatic rectal cancer, and metastatic lung cancer. The reason for this presumably is that researchers have focused on the development of treatments for these deadly diseases because their prognoses are so poor.
In 2026, in the U.S. it is projected that there will be 2,111,850 new cancer cases and 636,140 cancer deaths. That’s 73,000 more cases but only 8,000 more deaths than predictions for 2025.
The improvement of five-year survival rates is a large part of the good news from the American Cancer Society! Five year survival has long been the milestone by which the success of cancer treatments is measured. It is also the measure that tells doctors the likelihood of a patient’s cure or if they are entering a period of remission. Overall (that includes all cancer cases), the 5 year survival rate has increased to 70%, the best it’s ever been. For Late stage cancer (stages III, IV) 5-year survival has gone from 17% to 35%, more than a 100% improvement.
As we see next, socially conscious researchers still see racial and socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival statistics. Among the various racial and ethnic groups, Native Americans have highest cancer mortality rate. Compared to Caucasians, for kidney, liver, stomach, and cervical cancers, they have a 2-3 times higher mortality rate. And Blacks have two-fold higher mortality than Caucasians for prostate, stomach, and uterine cancers. The reasons for these differences exist in the limited access to screenings by those in very rural areas and poor neighborhoods, lack of knowledge and awareness of available screening methods, and the lack of providers to manage or oversee their care.
Another good point is that with treatment, people with cancers who died in one or two years are now living 3 or 4 years. When we’re told we have cancer no longer do we automatically think we have just been given a death sentence. All in all, every thing about cancer survival lands on the side of improvement: improved longevity, improved quality of life, earlier detection that leads to better outcome, and longer 5-year survival. The trend for cancer survival is definitely in a positive direction, and will only improve in the future.
References: Siegel RL, Kratzer TB, et al.Cancer Statistics, 2025 CA Cancer J Clin 2025 Jan-Feb;75(1):10-45.
Siegel RL, Kratzer TB, et al. Cancer Statistics, 2026 CA Cancer J Clin 2026 Jan-Feb;76(1):e70043.
Http:www.Goodnewsinstead.com/cancer-Survival-improving.
