- An estimated 1,762,450 cancers will be in diagnosed in 2019, which equals more than 4,800 new cases each day.
- The lifetime probability of being diagnosed with cancer is 39.3% for men and 37.7% for women, which is a little more than 1 in 3.
- 22% of deaths in the US in 2016 were from cancer, making it the second leading cause of death after heart disease in both men and women.
- Rates of new liver cancers are rising faster than for any other cancer. People infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are at greater risk for liver cancer. All baby boomers (those born between 1945 and 1965) are recommended to be tested for HCV because 75% of HCV-infected people are in this age group. Other risk factors for liver cancer include obesity, heavy drinking, and smoking.
- Rates of new cases also rose for melanoma skin cancer, thyroid cancer, endometrial cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
“Cancer Statistics 2019” can be viewed at cacancerjournal.com, while “Cancer Facts & Figures 2019” is available at cancer.org/statistics.