Mortality

Last Updated:

February 2018

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.
Note: Goals are indicated as blue line on Detailed Trend Graphs.

Data Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, 1975–2014.

Trends and Most Recent Estimates

All Cancer Sites Combined

By Sex

U.S. death rates for all cancers by sex, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	161.4	(160.9 - 161.8)
	Male	193.1	(192.4 - 193.8)
	Female	138.2	(137.7 - 138.7)

By Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for all cancers by race/ethnicity, 1992-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	All Races	161.4	(160.9 - 161.8)
	White	162.1	(161.6 - 162.6)
	Black	185.8	(184.4 - 187.2)
	Hispanic	112.4	(111.2 - 113.6)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	98.6	(97.1 - 100.2)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	146.6	(140.2 - 153.2)

Top Cancer Sites

Comparison of Top Cancer Sites

U.S. death rates for the most common cancers, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Colon and Rectum	14.1	(14.0 - 14.3)
	Lung and Bronchus	42.1	(41.9 - 42.3)
	Female Breast	20.6	(20.4 - 20.8)
	Prostate	19.0	(18.8 - 19.3)

Colon and Rectum Cancer by Sex

U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by sex, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	14.1	(14.0 - 14.3)
	Male	16.9	(16.7 - 17.1)
	Female	11.9	(11.8 - 12.1)

Colon and Rectum Cancer by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for colon and rectum cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	All Races	14.1	(14.0 - 14.3)
	White	13.9	(13.7 - 14.0)
	Black	18.5	(18.0 - 18.9)
	Hispanic	11.1	(10.7 - 11.5)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	9.6	(9.1 - 10.1)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	15.3	(13.3 - 17.5)

Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Sex

U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by sex, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	42.1	(41.9 - 42.3)
	Male	51.7	(51.4 - 52.1)
	Female	34.7	(34.5 - 35.0)

Lung and Bronchus Cancer by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for lung and bronchus cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	All Races	42.1	(41.9 - 42.3)
	White	43.0	(42.7 - 43.2)
	Black	44.5	(43.8 - 45.2)
	Hispanic	18.3	(17.8 - 18.8)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	22.6	(21.9 - 23.4)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	35.7	(32.5 - 39.0)

Female Breast Cancer by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for female breast cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	All Races	20.6	(20.4 - 20.8)
	White	20.1	(19.9 - 20.4)
	Black	28.1	(27.4 - 28.8)
	Hispanic	14.6	(14.0 - 15.1)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	11.5	(10.9 - 12.2)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	13.3	(10.9 - 16.1)

Prostate Cancer by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for prostate cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	All Races	19.0	(18.8 - 19.3)
	White	17.9	(17.6 - 18.1)
	Black	37.5	(36.3 - 38.6)
	Hispanic	15.2	(14.5 - 16.0)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	8.3	(7.6 - 9.0)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	19.8	(15.9 - 24.2)

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, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Cervix Uteri	2.3	(2.2 - 2.3)
	Melanoma of the Skin	2.6	(2.5 - 2.6)
	Oral Cavity and Pharynx	2.5	(2.5 - 2.6)

Cervix Uteri by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for cervix uteri cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	All Races	2.3	(2.2 - 2.3)
	White	2.1	(2.1 - 2.2)
	Black	3.6	(3.3 - 3.8)
	Hispanic	2.6	(2.4 - 2.8)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	1.5	(1.3 - 1.8)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	2.3	(1.5 - 3.5)

Oral Cavity and Pharynx by Sex

U.S. death rates for oral cavity and pharynx cancer by sex, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	2.5	(2.5 - 2.6)
	Male	4.0	(3.9 - 4.1)
	Female	1.3	(1.2 - 1.3)

Oral Cavity and Pharynx by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for oral cavity and pharynx cancer by race/ethnicity, 1992-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	All Races	2.5	(2.5 - 2.6)
	White	2.5	(2.5 - 2.6)
	Black	2.8	(2.6 - 3.0)
	Hispanic	1.5	(1.3 - 1.6)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	1.9	(1.7 - 2.1)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	2.4	(1.6 - 3.3)

Melanoma of the Skin by Sex

U.S. death rates for melanoma of the skin by sex, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Both Sexes	2.6	(2.5 - 2.6)
	Male	3.8	(3.7 - 3.9)
	Female	1.6	(1.5 - 1.6)

Melanoma of the Skin by Race/Ethnicity

U.S. death rates for melanoma of the skin by race/ethnicity, 1992-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	All Races	2.6	(2.5 - 2.6)
	White	3.0	(2.9 - 3.1)
	Black	0.4	(0.3 - 0.5)
	Hispanic	0.8	(0.7 - 0.9)
	Asian/Pacific Islander	0.4	(0.3 - 0.5)
	American Indian/Alaska Native	0.8	(0.4 - 1.4)

Selected Cancer Sites with Increasing Trends

U.S. death rates for selected cancer sites that are increasing annually^, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Brain and Other Nervous System	4.4	(4.4 - 4.5)
	Corpus and Uterus, NOS	4.7	(4.6 - 4.8)
	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	6.5	(6.4 - 6.6)
	Thyroid	0.5	(0.5 - 0.5)

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^, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Hodgkin Lymphoma	0.3	(0.3 - 0.3)
	Larynx	1.0	(1.0 - 1.0)
	Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma	5.6	(5.6 - 5.7)
	Ovary	7.0	(6.9 - 7.2)
	Stomach	3.1	(3.1 - 3.2)

Decreasing Less than 1% Annually

U.S. death rates for selected cancer sites that are decreasing by less than 1% per year^, 1975-2014
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Most Recent Estimates (2014)
Overview Graph	Detailed Trend Graphs	Rate per 100,000	95% Confidence Interval
	Esophagus	4.0	(3.9 - 4.1)
	Kidney and Renal Pelvis	3.8	(3.7 - 3.8)
	Leukemia	6.6	(6.5 - 6.7)

Additional Information on Mortality

For the public

Advance Directives. American Cancer Society.
Hospice Care. American Cancer Society.
Nearing the End of Life. American Cancer Society.
Advanced Cancer. National Cancer Institute.
End-of-Life Care for People Who Have Cancer. National Cancer Institute.
Hospice Care. National Cancer Institute.

For health professionals

Planning the Transition to End-of-Life Care in Advanced Care (PDQ®). National Cancer Institute.
Resources for Health Professionals. National Cancer Institute.

Scientific reports

Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. National Cancer Institute.

Statistics

Cancer Facts & Figures 2017. American Cancer Society.
Colorectal Cancer Mortality Projection. Cancer Intervention Surveillance Network.
Deaths: Final Data for 2010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics National Vital Statistics System, 2013;61(4).
National Vital Statistics System – Mortality Data. National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
State Cancer Profiles. National Cancer Institute.
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

1975-2014

Recent Summary Trend Year Range

2010-2014

Summary Tables

End of Life

Recent Summary Trend

Falling

Desired Direction