Mortality

Mortality

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In 2020, the death rate for all cancers combined was 144.1 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 2020 cancers of the female breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, and pancreas accounted for over one-half (51 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.

Data Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 1975–2020.

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.

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, 1975-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for all cancers by sex, 1975-2020 Both SexesClick to see the detailed trend graph for Both Sexes 144.1 143.7 - 144.5
MaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Male 170.3 169.7 - 170.9
FemaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female 124.5 124.1 - 125.0
By Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for all cancers by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for all cancers by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020 All Races/EthnicitiesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 144.1 143.7 - 144.5
Non-Hispanic WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic White 149.9 149.5 - 150.3
Non-Hispanic BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Black 166.8 165.5 - 168.0
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 103.5 102.5 - 104.5
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 91.3 90.0 - 92.6
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 153.8 147.7 - 160.2

Top 4 Cancer Sites

Comparison of Top Cancer Sites
U.S. death rates for the most common cancers, 1975-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for the most common cancers, 1975-2020 Colon and RectumClick to see the detailed trend graph for Colon and Rectum 12.6 12.5 - 12.7
Lung and BronchusClick to see the detailed trend graph for Lung and Bronchus 31.8 31.7 - 32.0
Female BreastClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female Breast 19.1 18.9 - 19.3
ProstateClick to see the detailed trend graph for Prostate 18.5 18.3 - 18.7
Colon and Rectum Cancer by Sex
U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by sex, 1975-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by sex, 1975-2020 Both SexesClick to see the detailed trend graph for Both Sexes 12.6 12.5 - 12.7
MaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Male 15.1 15.0 - 15.3
FemaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female 10.5 10.3 - 10.6
Colon and Rectum Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020 All Races/EthnicitiesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 12.6 12.5 - 12.7
Non-Hispanic WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic White 12.6 12.5 - 12.8
Non-Hispanic BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Black 16.7 16.3 - 17.1
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 10.4 10.1 - 10.7
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 8.9 8.5 - 9.3
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 18.0 15.9 - 20.3
Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Sex
U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by sex, 1975-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by sex, 1975-2020 Both SexesClick to see the detailed trend graph for Both Sexes 31.8 31.7 - 32.0
MaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Male 38.1 37.8 - 38.3
FemaleClick to see the detailed trend graph for Female 26.9 26.7 - 27.2
Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020 All Races/EthnicitiesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 31.8 31.7 - 32.0
Non-Hispanic WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic White 35.0 34.7 - 35.2
Non-Hispanic BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Black 33.4 32.8 - 33.9
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 14.1 13.7 - 14.5
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 18.5 17.9 - 19.1
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 31.3 28.5 - 34.2
Female Breast Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for female breast cancer by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for female breast cancer by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020 All Races/EthnicitiesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 19.1 18.9 - 19.3
Non-Hispanic WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic White 19.4 19.1 - 19.6
Non-Hispanic BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Black 26.4 25.7 - 27.0
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 13.1 12.6 - 13.6
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 11.4 10.8 - 12.1
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 16.4 13.7 - 19.3
Prostate Cancer by Race/Ethnicity
U.S. death rates for prostate cancer by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020
Overview Graph Detailed Trend Graphs Most Recent Estimates (2020)
Rate per 100,000 95% Confidence Interval
Thumbnail of graph for U.S. death rates for prostate cancer by race/ethnicity, 2000-2020 All Races/EthnicitiesClick to see the detailed trend graph for All Races 18.5 18.3 - 18.7
Non-Hispanic WhiteClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic White 17.6 17.4 - 17.8
Non-Hispanic BlackClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Black 36.5 35.4 - 37.5
HispanicClick to see the detailed trend graph for Hispanic 14.2 13.6 - 14.9
Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific IslanderClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander 8.8 8.2 - 9.5
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska NativeClick to see the detailed trend graph for Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native 16.6 13.3 - 20.4

Recent Trends for Common Cancer Sites

2016-2020 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 2016-2020 trends (Average Annual Percent Change) in U.S. death rates for common cancer sites All Sites -2.0*
Brain and Other Nervous System 0.4*
Cervix Uteri -0.7*
Colon and Rectum -2.0*
Corpus Uteri and NOS 1.6*
Esophagus 1.0
Female Breast -1.2*
Hodgkin Lymphoma -4.0*
Kidney and Renal Pelvis -1.8*
Larynx -2.2*
Leukemia -2.1*
Liver and IBD -0.6*
Lung and Bronchus -4.6*
Melanoma of the Skin -2.5*
Myeloma -1.7*
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma -2.3*
Oral Cavity and Pharynx 0.4*
Ovary -3.3*
Pancreas 0.1*
Prostate -0.6*
Stomach -2.2*
Testis 0.4
Thyroid 0.3*
Urinary Bladder -2.2*
* The Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) is statistically significant.

Additional Information on Mortality

Scientific reports

Year Range

1975-2020

Recent Summary Trend Year Range

2016-2020

Recent Summary Trend

Falling

Desired Direction

Falling

Summary Tables

End of Life