Mortality

Last Updated:

January 2017

Introduction

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, colon, breast, and prostate cancers. The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, published in the journal Cancer, shows that the death rate from all cancers combined is continuing the decline that began in the early 1990s.

Still, in 2015 cancers of the female breast, prostate, lung, colon/rectum, and pancreas accounted for nearly one-half (47 percent) of all cancer deaths in the United States. Lung cancer alone claimed nearly 27 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 2020 Target

Reduce the overall cancer death rate to 161.4 cancer deaths per 100,000 people per year.
Reduce the colorectal cancer death rate to 14.5 deaths per 100,000 people per year.
Reduce the lung cancer death rate to 45.5 deaths per 100,000 people per year.
Reduce the female breast cancer death rate to 20.7 deaths per 100,000 females per year.
Reduce the prostate cancer death rate to 21.8 deaths per 100,000 males per year.
Reduce the death rate from cancer of the uterine cervix to 2.2 deaths per 100,000 females per year.
Reduce the oropharyngeal cancer death rate to 2.3 deaths per 100,000 people per year.
Reduce the melanoma cancer death rate to 2.4 deaths per 100,000 people per year.

Healthy People 2020 is a set of goals set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Data Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 1975–2013.

Trends and Most Recent Estimates

All Cancer Sites Combined

By Sex

U.S. death rates for all cancers by sex, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	163.1	(162.7 - 163.5)
	Male	195.9	(195.1 - 196.6)
	Female	139.4	(138.9 - 139.9)

By Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for all cancers by race/ethnicity, 1992-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	All Races	163.1	(162.7 - 163.5)
	White	163.6	(163.2 - 164.1)
	Black	188.9	(187.4 - 190.3)
	Hispanic	113.9	(112.6 - 115.1)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	99.6	(98.0 - 101.2)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	150.8	(144.1 - 157.5)

Top Cancer Sites

Comparison of Top Cancer Sites

U.S. death rates for the most common cancers, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Colon and Rectum	14.5	(14.4 - 14.6)
	Lung and Bronchus	43.3	(43.1 - 43.5)
	Female Breast	20.8	(20.6 - 21.0)
	Prostate	19.2	(18.9 - 19.4)

Colon and Rectum Cancer by Sex

U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by sex, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	14.5	(14.4 - 14.6)
	Male	17.3	(17.1 - 17.5)
	Female	12.2	(12.0 - 12.3)

Colon and Rectum Cancer by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	All Races	14.5	(14.4 - 14.6)
	White	14.2	(14.0 - 14.3)
	Black	19.3	(18.8 - 19.7)
	Hispanic	11.6	(11.2 - 12.0)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	9.7	(9.2 - 10.2)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	17.8	(15.5 - 20.1)

Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Sex

U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by sex, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	43.3	(43.1 - 43.5)
	Male	53.7	(53.3 - 54.1)
	Female	35.4	(35.2 - 35.7)

Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	All Races	43.3	(43.1 - 43.5)
	White	44.1	(43.8 - 44.3)
	Black	46.7	(46.0 - 47.5)
	Hispanic	18.6	(18.1 - 19.1)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	23.1	(22.4 - 23.9)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	36.2	(32.8 - 39.5)

Female Breast Cancer by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for female breast cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	All Races	20.8	(20.6 - 21.0)
	White	20.4	(20.2 - 20.6)
	Black	28.2	(27.5 - 29.0)
	Hispanic	14.5	(13.9 - 15.0)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	11.0	(10.3 - 11.6)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	13.5	(10.9 - 16.0)

Prostate Cancer by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for prostate cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	All Races	19.2	(18.9 - 19.4)
	White	17.9	(17.7 - 18.2)
	Black	38.5	(37.3 - 39.7)
	Hispanic	15.6	(14.8 - 16.4)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	8.6	(7.8 - 9.4)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	17.1	(13.2 - 21.1)

Additional Cancer Sites with Healthy People 2020 Targets

Comparison of Sites

U.S. death rates for additional cancer sites with Healthy People 2020 reduction goals, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Cervix Uteri	2.3	(2.3 - 2.4)
	Oral Cavity and Pharynx	2.4	(2.4 - 2.5)
	Melanoma of the Skin	2.7	(2.6 - 2.7)

Cervix Uteri by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for cervix uteri cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	All Races	2.3	(2.3 - 2.4)
	White	2.2	(2.1 - 2.2)
	Black	3.9	(3.6 - 4.1)
	Hispanic	2.5	(2.3 - 2.7)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	1.9	(1.6 - 2.2)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	2.7	(1.6 - 3.8)

Oral Cavity and Pharynx by Sex

U.S. death rates for oral cavity and pharynx cancer by sex, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	2.4	(2.4 - 2.5)
	Male	3.7	(3.6 - 3.8)
	Female	1.3	(1.3 - 1.4)

Oral Cavity and Pharynx by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for oral cavity and pharynx cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	All Races	2.4	(2.4 - 2.5)
	White	2.4	(2.4 - 2.5)
	Black	2.8	(2.6 - 3.0)
	Hispanic	1.4	(1.3 - 1.5)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	1.9	(1.7 - 2.1)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	1.4	(0.8 - 2.0)

Melanoma of the Skin by Sex

U.S. death rates for melanoma of the skin by sex, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	2.7	(2.6 - 2.7)
	Male	4.0	(3.9 - 4.1)
	Female	1.6	(1.6 - 1.7)

Melanoma of the Skin by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for melanoma of the skin by race/ethnicity, 1992-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	All Races	2.7	(2.6 - 2.7)
	White	3.1	(3.0 - 3.2)
	Black	0.4	(0.3 - 0.5)
	Hispanic	0.7	(0.6 - 0.8)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	0.3	(0.2 - 0.4)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	0.6	(0.2 - 1.0)

Selected Cancer Sites with Increasing Trends

U.S. death rates for selected cancer sites that are increasing annually^, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Thyroid	0.5	(0.5 - 0.5)
	Pancreas	10.8	(10.7 - 10.9)
	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	6.5	(6.4 - 6.6)
	Corpus and Uterus, NOS	4.6	(4.6 - 4.7)

Selected Cancer Sites with Decreasing Trends

Decreasing Greater than 1% Annually

U.S. death rates for selected cancer sites that are decreasing by 1% per year or greater^, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Stomach	3.2	(3.1 - 3.2)
	Ovary	7.2	(7.1 - 7.3)
	Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma	5.7	(5.6 - 5.8)
	Larynx	1.0	(1.0 - 1.0)
	Hodgkin Lymphoma	0.3	(0.3 - 0.3)

Decreasing Less than 1% Annually

U.S. death rates for selected cancer sites that are decreasing by less than 1% per year^, 1975-2013
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2013)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	Confidence Interval
	Leukemia	6.7	(6.6 - 6.8)
	Kidney and Renal Pelvis	3.9	(3.8 - 3.9)
	Esophagus	4.0	(4.0 - 4.1)

Additional Information on Mortality

For the public

Statistics

American Cancer Society – Cancer Facts & Figures 2016.
Cancer Intervention Surveillance Network – Colorectal Cancer Mortality Projection.
Deaths: Final Data for 2010. CDC/NCHS. National Vital Statistics Reports 2013;61(4).
National Vital Statistics System – Mortality Data. CDC/NCHS.
Healthy People 2020, 2020 Topics & Objectives – Cancer.
National Cancer Institute – State Cancer Profiles.
SEER Cancer Statistics Review, National Cancer Institute.
SEER Fast Stats: An interactive tool for access to SEER cancer statistics. Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute.

Year Range

1975-2013

Recent Summary Trend Year Range

2009-2013

Summary Tables

End of Life

Recent Summary Trend

Falling

Desired Direction