Cancer Survival Rate in the US Is Steadily Rising

Nearly one in 10 American adults now report having been diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives—a notable jump from 7% in 2008-2009, according to the latest data from Gallup. Gallup says 9.7% of around 41,000 people surveyed in 2024 and the first three-quarters of 2025 said yes when asked, "Has a doctor or nurse ever told you that you have cancer?" The survey shows the rate of reported lifetime cancer diagnoses has been rising steadily over the last decade, even as the rate of new cancer cases in the US has edged downward by 4% over the past 10 years.

That means the increase in lifetime diagnoses is not due to more new cases. Instead, experts say, it's largely because people are living longer after a cancer diagnosis, thanks to better treatments. The percentage of Americans who have had a cancer diagnosis at some point is highest among older adults—now at more than 21%, up from 18% in 2008-2009. As the US population ages, the total share of Americans with a history of cancer is expected to keep climbing.

The report also notes that cancer death rates have continued to drop, declining by nearly 2% per year over the last decade, and the five-year survival rate has improved to 69%. Some cancer types, including breast cancer in younger women, are becoming more common. Researchers have found increases in 14 kinds of cancer among Americans under age 50, though across ages, genders, and races, the only decline in cancer diagnoses between 2008-2009 and 2024-2045 was an 0.2% drop from 2.6% to 2.4% among people 30 to 44. Among people 18 to 29, the rate was unchanged at 1.1%.

The overall picture, Gallup concludes, is a mixed one: More Americans are surviving cancer, but the health care system will face increasing pressure as the population ages and more people live years or decades after a diagnosis. Harold Wimmer, the president and CEO of the American Lung Association, said advancement in research and early detection have dramatically improved lung cancer survival rates in recent years, but he's worried about budget cuts, reports Axios. The "CDC is critical in helping to prevent lung cancer by funding programs to prevent tobacco use and help people quit, and the research done at NIH has led to 73 new treatments for lung cancer in the last decade alone," he said in a statement. "The cuts to programs and research are devastating."