How Many People Die From Cancer Each Year?

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the lungs. There are two main types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer, sometimes called oat cell cancer, though rarer (10% to 15% of all lung cancers), grows and spreads more quickly than non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common, and accounts for 80% to 85% of all lung cancers.

Lung cancer can develop in anyone, but is more commonly diagnosed in adults over 65. Smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer: People who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than non-smokers. It is estimated that smoking causes about 90% of lung cancers.

However, that doesn't mean people who don't smoke won't get lung cancer. In fact, 10% to 20% of lung cancers occur in those who never smoked or smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime.

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer often starts as growths on the inner lining of the colon or rectum, which are called polyps. Some, but not all, polyps become cancerous. Excluding skin cancer, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the U.S. Roughly 4.3% of men and 4% of women will develop colorectal cancer at some point in their life.

This type of cancer can occur in people of any age, but those who are 65 to 74 years old are at highest risk of dying from the disease. It is also most commonly found in older adults, with over 75% of all cases occurring in those who are 55 and older. However, new cases of colorectal cancer have declined slightly over the past decade among older adults (but rising among people under 50 and those who are 50 to 64).

The death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping in both men and women for several decades. This could be attributed to the fact that polyps are now being found more often by screening and removed before they can develop into cancers, or that cancers are being found earlier when they are easier to treat.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, except for skin cancers. Breast cancer cells usually form a tumor that can be seen on x-ray or felt as a lump. It occurs mostly in women, but men can get it as well. The prognosis for breast cancer tends to be positive: It has a five-year relative survival rate of 90%. There was a slight increase (0.3%) in the number of new breast cancer cases from 2008 to 2017.

According to the American Cancer Society, the number of men who are expected to develop breast cancer in the United States in 2021 is low at just over 2,000. Men have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of one in 833.

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer starts in the pancreas. There are two types of pancreatic cancer: exocrine pancreatic cancer, which is most common, and neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the most common form of exocrine pancreatic cancer, and makes up 95% of all cases. Although pancreatic cancer accounts for a very small number of total new cancer cases, it has a low five-year relative survival rate of just 10%.

Pancreatic cancer is slightly more common in men than women, and is more likely to occur in those over the age of 55. The average lifetime risk of pancreatic cancer is about one in 64.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer develops in the prostate gland, with adenocarcinoma being the most common type. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the U.S. after skin cancer. About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point during his lifetime.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. About one man in 41 will die of prostate cancer.

Age is the biggest risk factor when it comes to prostate cancer, and the majority of cases are found in men aged 55 to 74. About six in 10 cases of prostate cancer are found in men older than 65.

The decrease in annual deaths can be attributed to enhanced screening measures and improved treatment options. Prostate cancer is now associated with the best overall outcomes, and the five-year relative survival rate of the disease is 97.8%.

Liver Cancer

Liver cancer begins in the liver and is caused by conditions that lead to liver damage, most notably viral hepatitis and cirrhosis. Liver cancer is more commonly found in men and in those of Asian or Pacific Islander descent. A majority of those with liver cancer have some signs of cirrhosis.

The overall five-year relative survival rate of liver cancer is low at only 19.6%. For those who are diagnosed with early-stage or localized liver cancer, that number increases to 34.2%.

Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of blood-forming tissues, including bone marrow. It is most commonly found in white blood cells, but it can start in other blood cell types too. There are five types of leukemia: acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. They are classified by whether they are fast-growing or slow-growing and whether they start in myeloid cells or lymphoid cells.

Leukemia is the most common cancer among children and teens, accounting for almost one out of three cancers. Most childhood leukemias are acute lymphocytic leukemia.

The exact cause of leukemia is unclear, but risk factors for the disease have been identified such as previous treatment with chemotherapy and smoking.

With a 63.7% five-year survival rate, the outlook for many leukemia patients is optimistic. The age group with the most deaths from leukemia is 75 to 84 years old, although those aged 65 to 74 and those over 84 also have a higher risk of death because of the disease.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma starts in white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the body's immune system. It affects the body's lymph system, which is part of the immune system and helps move fluid through the body. Lymphoma can start anywhere in the body where lymph tissue is found, including the spleen, thymus, tonsils, adenoids, and lymph nodes. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma usually affects adults, but it can develop in children as well.

There are over 30 different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. They are classified depending on the type of lymphocyte that is implicated in the development of the disease like B-cells and T-cells.

The overall five-year relative survival rate for non-Hodgkin lymphoma is 72.7%. That number rises to 83.5% if the cancer is diagnosed in the early or localized stages.

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer develops in the cells in the bladder. When those cells multiply, tumors form. There are four main types of bladder cancer, with urothelial carcinoma, also known as transitional cell carcinoma, being the most common.

It is much more common in men than women. It is the fourth most common cancer in men. The lifetime risk of having bladder cancer is one in 27 for men and one in 89 for women. Those of Caucasian descent are also more likely to develop bladder cancer than any other ethnicity. The risk of developing bladder cancer increases with age, and about nine out of 10 people with bladder cancer are over 55.

The overall five-year relative survival rate of bladder cancer is 76.9%, and that among those in the localized or early stages is 95.8%.  

Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer begins in the kidneys. The most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma, which accounts for about nine out of 10 cases. It usually grows as a single tumor in a kidney, but sometimes there are two or more tumors in one kidney or tumors in both kidneys.

Kidney cancer is twice as common in men than in women. The lifetime risk for developing kidney cancer is about one in 46 for men and one in 80 for women. Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native populations are more likely to develop this disease than any other ethnicity. The average age of people when they are diagnosed with kidney cancer is 64. This type of cancer is very uncommon in people below 45.

The overall five-year survival rate for kidney cancer is 75.2%. If the disease is found in the early or localized stage, that number jumps to 92.6%.