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Introduction
Cancer incidence is typically measured as the number of new cases each year for every 100,000 people (for sex-specific cancers, people of the same sex serve as the denominator) and age-adjusted to a standard population to allow comparisons over time.
In 2020, nearly half of all new cancer cases are expected to be cancers of the prostate, breast, lung, and colon and rectum. According to American Cancer Society projections, about 1,806,590 new cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2020, including 191,930 cases of prostate cancer, 279,100 cases of breast cancer, 228,820 cases of lung and bronchus cancer, and 147,950 cases of colorectal cancer.
Measure
Incidence rate: the observed number of new cancer cases per 100,000 people per year, adjusted for age and cancer case reporting delays and based on data from approximately 10 percent of the U.S. population.
Delay adjustment: a method of estimating delayed reporting of incident cases and then adjusting rates to account for this delay.
Healthy People 2020 Target
- Reduce new cases of invasive colorectal cancer to 39.9 per 100,000 people.
- Reduce new cases of invasive uterine cervical cancer to 7.2 per 100,000 females.
Note: There is strong evidence that screening can prevent colorectal and uterine cervical cancers.
Healthy People 2020 is a set of goals set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Note: Goals are indicated as blue line on Detailed Trend Graphs.
Data Source
SEER Program, National Cancer Institute, 1975–2017.
Trends and Most Recent Estimates
All Cancer Sites Combined
By Sex
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
Both Sexes![]() |
444.8 | 442.5 - 447.1 |
Male![]() |
482.1 | 478.7 - 485.6 | |
Female![]() |
420.0 | 416.9 - 423.0 |
By Race/Ethnicity
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
All Races![]() |
425.8 | 423.9 - 427.7 |
White![]() |
439.3 | 437.0 - 441.5 | |
Black![]() |
450.0 | 443.8 - 456.4 | |
Hispanic![]() |
341.5 | 337.1 - 346.0 | |
Asian/Pacific Islander![]() |
317.8 | 313.6 - 322.2 | |
American Indian/Alaska Native![]() |
405.0 | 383.5 - 427.3 |
Top 4 Cancer Sites
Comparison of Top Cancer Sites
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
Colon and Rectum![]() |
36.8 | 36.2 - 37.5 |
Lung and Bronchus![]() |
50.6 | 49.8 - 51.3 | |
Female Breast![]() |
133.1 | 131.3 - 134.8 | |
Prostate![]() |
119.0 | 117.3 - 120.7 |
Colon and Rectum Cancer by Sex
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
Both Sexes![]() |
36.8 | 36.2 - 37.5 |
Male![]() |
41.3 | 40.3 - 42.3 | |
Female![]() |
32.9 | 32.1 - 33.8 |
Colon and Rectum Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
All Races![]() |
36.3 | 35.7 - 36.8 |
White![]() |
35.9 | 35.3 - 36.5 | |
Black![]() |
42.9 | 41.0 - 44.9 | |
Hispanic![]() |
34.7 | 33.3 - 36.1 | |
Asian/Pacific Islander![]() |
32.0 | 30.7 - 33.4 | |
American Indian/Alaska Native![]() |
55.6 | 47.9 - 64.3 |
Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Sex
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
Both Sexes![]() |
50.6 | 49.8 - 51.3 |
Male![]() |
56.7 | 55.5 - 57.9 | |
Female![]() |
46.0 | 45.1 - 47.0 |
Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
All Races![]() |
46.7 | 46.1 - 47.3 |
White![]() |
47.3 | 46.6 - 48.1 | |
Black![]() |
56.7 | 54.5 - 59.0 | |
Hispanic![]() |
26.4 | 25.1 - 27.8 | |
Asian/Pacific Islander![]() |
36.7 | 35.2 - 38.2 | |
American Indian/Alaska Native![]() |
48.2 | 40.7 - 56.5 |
Female Breast Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
All Races![]() |
129.4 | 128.0 - 130.8 |
White![]() |
132.9 | 131.2 - 134.6 | |
Black![]() |
124.5 | 120.2 - 128.9 | |
Hispanic![]() |
100.1 | 97.0 - 103.2 | |
Asian/Pacific Islander![]() |
114.2 | 110.8 - 117.8 | |
American Indian/Alaska Native![]() |
111.2 | 96.5 - 127.4 |
Prostate Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
All Races![]() |
112.0 | 110.7 - 113.4 |
White![]() |
108.4 | 106.8 - 109.9 | |
Black![]() |
180.3 | 174.2 - 186.5 | |
Hispanic![]() |
82.6 | 79.2 - 86.1 | |
Asian/Pacific Islander![]() |
66.4 | 63.4 - 69.4 | |
American Indian/Alaska Native![]() |
65.1 | 51.8 - 80.4 |
Additional Cancer Site with a Healthy People 2020 Target
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
All Races![]() |
6.7 | 6.3 - 7.0 |
White![]() |
6.8 | 6.4 - 7.2 | |
Black![]() |
6.8 | 5.8 - 7.9 | |
Hispanic![]() |
8.3 | 7.4 - 9.2 | |
Asian/Pacific Islander![]() |
6.0 | 5.2 - 6.9 | |
American Indian/Alaska Native![]() |
11.1 | 6.9 - 16.8 |
Selected Cancer Sites with Increasing Trends
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
Oral Cavity and Pharynx![]() |
11.9 | 11.5 - 12.3 |
Melanoma of the Skin![]() |
25.9 | 25.3 - 26.4 | |
Testis![]() |
6.4 | 6.0 - 6.8 | |
Myeloma![]() |
7.3 | 7.0 - 7.6 | |
Leukemia![]() |
15.2 | 14.8 - 15.7 | |
Esophageal adenocarcinoma![]() |
2.8 | 2.6 - 3.0 |
Selected Cancer Sites with Decreasing Trends
Decreasing Greater than 2% Annually
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
Larynx![]() |
2.6 | 2.4 - 2.8 |
Ovary![]() |
10.5 | 10.0 - 11.0 | |
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma![]() |
1.3 | 1.2 - 1.4 |
Decreasing Less than 2% Annually
Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rate per 100,000 | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
![]() ![]() |
Stomach![]() |
6.7 | 6.4 - 6.9 |
Urinary Bladder![]() |
19.4 | 18.9 - 19.9 | |
Brain and Other Nervous System![]() |
6.4 | 6.2 - 6.7 | |
Hodgkin Lymphoma![]() |
2.3 | 2.2 - 2.5 | |
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma![]() |
19.7 | 19.3 - 20.2 |
Additional Information on Incidence
For the public
- Cancer Incidence Rates. National Cancer Institute.
- Common Cancer Types. National Cancer Institute.
- Learn About Cancer. American Cancer Society.
For health professionals
- Resources for Health Professionals. National Cancer Institute.
- Cancer Facts and Figures. American Cancer Society.
Scientific reports
- Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. National Cancer Institute.
- Lung cancer incidence trends among men and women – United States, 2005–2009. Henley SJ, Richareds TB, Underwood JM, et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014;63(01):1–5.
- Invasive Cancer Incidence and Survival—United States, 2013. Henley SJ, Singh SD, King JK et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017:66(3):69-75.
- Cancer Statistics, 2018. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal, A. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2018;61(01):7-30.
Statistics
- SEER Cancer Statistics Review, National Cancer Institute.
- State Cancer Profiles. National Cancer Institute, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- United States Cancer Statistics: Data Visualizations. National Cancer Institute, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- United States Cancer Statistics – Interpreting Incidence Data. National Cancer Institute, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- SEER*Explorer: An interactive website that provides easy access to a wide range of SEER cancer statistics. National Cancer Institute.
- WONDER Online Databases – United States Cancer Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.