New American Cancer Society data show cancer survival rates hit 70%, but lung cancer remains the deadliest, and access to care still significantly affects outcomes.
NORFOLK, Va. — For the first time in U.S. history, seven in 10 people diagnosed with cancer are now surviving at least five years.
That finding is part of the American Cancer Society’s newly released Cancer Statistics, 2026 report, marking the organization’s 75th year tracking cancer trends nationwide. According to the report, the five-year survival rate for all cancers combined has reached 70% for people diagnosed between 2015 and 2021.
Dr. Bruce Waldholtz, a national volunteer spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, said that figure was closer to 50% a half-century ago. He also said that progress is especially notable for advanced disease.
“Now, the five-year survival rate for metastatic cancer is 35%,” Dr. Waldholtz said. “And that means that we begin to think of cancer more as a chronic disease.”
He estimates there are now about 18 million cancer survivors living in the United States.
Despite those gains, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., killing more people each year than breast and colorectal cancers combined.
The report projects about 626,000 cancer deaths nationwide in 2026, with lung cancer accounting for the largest share.
Dr. Waldholtz points to smoking cessation as one of the biggest drivers behind declining cancer death rates over the past several decades and highlights programs like ACS’s Empowered to Quit that support people trying to break the habit.
“We have to do better to prevent our children from smoking and to help people who currently smoke to stop smoking,” he said.
Doctors also emphasize the importance of early detection, particularly through lung cancer screening using low-dose CT scans. They remain widely underused, even among people who qualify.
The report also highlights rising colorectal cancer rates in younger adults. In 2018, the American Cancer Society lowered the recommended starting age for colorectal cancer screening from 50 to 45.
“The risk of a 45-year-old today in America of getting colorectal cancer is what the risk of a 50-year-old was years ago,” Dr. Waldholtz said, stressing that people should talk with their doctors about screening options because “you may be at average risk, but that doesn’t mean low risk.”
Here in Hampton Roads, he said cancer outcomes are closely tied to access to care, screening, and preventive services.
“Our zip code becomes as important or more important than our genetic code for our cancer risk,” Dr. Waldholtz said.
He noted that local data suggests progress in recent years following targeted outreach and screening efforts, but continued coordination is critical to maintaining those gains.
“We need to work together in each community in America because each community is unique in terms of the risks involved, the demographics, the opportunities,” Dr. Waldholtz said.
Nationally, the American Cancer Society reports cancer death rates have dropped 34% since peaking in 1991, resulting in nearly five million fewer deaths nationwide. Dr. Waldholtz credits reduced smoking rates, improved treatments, and better screening for that decline.
At the same time, the report notes rising incidence for several cancers, including breast, prostate, pancreatic, and uterine cancers, highlighting the need for continued research and prevention.
Click here for more information on cancer screening guidelines, prevention strategies, and resources for survivors.
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