Mortality

Data Up to Date as of:

October 2021

On This Page:

In 2019, the death rate for all cancers combined was 146.1 per 100,000 people per year.

Summary graph for Mortality, Click to see detailed view of graph

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Summary graph for Mortality, Click to see detailed view of graph

Background

The rate of death from cancer in the United States continues to decline among both men and women, among all major racial and ethnic groups, and for the most common types of cancer, including lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers. The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer shows that the death rate from all cancers combined is continuing the decline that began in the early 1990s.

Still, in 2019 cancers of the female breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, and pancreas accounted for over one-half (52 percent) of all cancer deaths in the United States. Lung cancer alone claimed 23 percent of lives lost to cancer.

Measure

The number of cancer deaths per 100,000 people per year, age-adjusted to a U.S. 2000 standard population.

Healthy People 2030 Target

  • Reduce the overall cancer death rate to 122.7 cancer deaths per 100,000 people per year.

Top 4 Cancer Sites

  • Reduce the colorectal cancer death rate to 8.9 deaths per 100,000 people per year.
  • Reduce the lung cancer death rate to 25.1 deaths per 100,000 people per year.
  • Reduce the female breast cancer death rate to 15.3 deaths per 100,000 females per year.
  • Reduce the prostate cancer death rate to 16.9 deaths per 100,000 males per year.

Healthy People 2030 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

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 1975–2019.

Trends and Most Recent EstimatesHelp with navigating the graphs and data tables

All Cancer Sites Combined

By Sex
U.S. death rates for all cancers by sex, 1975-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for all cancers by sex, 1975-2019 Both SexesClick to see the detailed trend graph for Both Sexes 146.1 145.8 - 146.5
MaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Male 172.9 172.3 - 173.5
FemaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female 126.2 125.7 - 126.6
By Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for all cancers by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for all cancers by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019 All RacesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 146.1 145.8 - 146.5
WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for White 147.3 146.9 - 147.8
BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Black 165.9 164.6 - 167.1
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 105.6 104.6 - 106.7
Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Asian/Pacific Islander 91.3 90.0 - 92.6
American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for American Indian/Alaska Native 132.6 127.3 - 138.0

Top 4 Cancer Sites

Comparison of Top Cancer Sites
U.S. death rates for the most common cancers, 1975-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for the most common cancers, 1975-2019 Colon and RectumClick to see the detailed trend graph for Colon and Rectum 12.8 12.7 - 12.9
Lung and BronchusClick to see the detailed trend graph for Lung and Bronchus 33.4 33.2 - 33.6
Female BreastClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female Breast 19.4 19.2 - 19.6
ProstateClick to see the detailed trend graph for Prostate 18.3 18.1 - 18.5
Colon and Rectum Cancer by Sex
U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by sex, 1975-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by sex, 1975-2019 Both SexesClick to see the detailed trend graph for Both Sexes 12.8 12.7 - 12.9
MaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Male 15.2 15.1 - 15.4
FemaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female 10.8 10.6 - 10.9
Colon and Rectum Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019 All RacesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 12.8 12.7 - 12.9
WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for White 12.6 12.5 - 12.8
BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Black 16.4 16.0 - 16.8
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 10.4 10.1 - 10.7
Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Asian/Pacific Islander 8.9 8.5 - 9.3
American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for American Indian/Alaska Native 13.1 11.4 - 14.8
Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Sex
U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by sex, 1975-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by sex, 1975-2019 Both SexesClick to see the detailed trend graph for Both Sexes 33.4 33.2 - 33.6
MaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Male 40.1 39.8 - 40.4
FemaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female 28.2 28.0 - 28.4
Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019 All RacesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 33.4 33.2 - 33.6
WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for White 34.2 34.0 - 34.4
BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Black 34.5 34.0 - 35.1
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 14.8 14.4 - 15.2
Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Asian/Pacific Islander 18.9 18.3 - 19.5
American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for American Indian/Alaska Native 28.5 26.1 - 31.1
Female Breast Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for female breast cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for female breast cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019 All RacesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 19.4 19.2 - 19.6
WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for White 18.9 18.7 - 19.1
BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Black 26.8 26.1 - 27.4
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 13.9 13.4 - 14.4
Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Asian/Pacific Islander 11.4 10.8 - 12.0
American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for American Indian/Alaska Native 16.7 14.3 - 19.4
Prostate Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for prostate cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2019)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for prostate cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2019 All RacesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 18.3 18.1 - 18.5
WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for White 17.2 17.0 - 17.5
BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Black 35.3 34.3 - 36.3
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 14.8 14.2 - 15.5
Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Asian/Pacific Islander 7.8 7.2 - 8.4
American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for American Indian/Alaska Native 18.2 14.9 - 21.9

Recent Trends for Common Cancer Sites

2015-2019 trends (Average Annual Percent Change) in U.S. death rates for common cancer sites
Overview graph Cancer Site Average Annual Percent Change
Thumbnail of graph for 2015-2019 trends (Average Annual Percent Change) in U.S. death rates for common cancer sites All Sites -2.1*
Brain and Other Nervous System -0.6
Female Breast -1.1*
Cervix Uteri -0.8*
Colon and Rectum -1.9*
Corpus Uteri and NOS 1.0*
Esophagus -1.0*
Hodgkin Lymphoma -4.5*
Kidney and Renal Pelvis -2.5*
Larynx -2.2*
Leukemia -2.2*
Liver & IHB 0.3
Lung and Bronchus -4.7*
Melanoma of the Skin -3.9*
Myeloma -1.6*
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma -2.2*
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 0.5*
Ovary -3.3*
Pancreas 0.2*
Prostate -0.6
Stomach -2.1*
Testis 0.0
Thyroid 0.0
Urinary Bladder -1.9*
* The Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) is statistically significant.

Additional Information on Mortality

Scientific reports

Year Range

1975-2019

Recent Summary Trend Year Range

2015-2019

Summary Tables

End of Life

Recent Summary Trend

Falling

Desired Direction

Falling