American Cancer Society 2026 Statistics: Q&A with Dawn Hershman, MD, MS

This week, the American Cancer Society released Cancer Statistics, 2026, its annual report offering a comprehensive snapshot of cancer incidence, mortality, survival, and emerging trends in the United States. While overall cancer mortality continues to decline, the report also highlights several adverse trends, areas where progress has slowed or reversed. We spoke with Dawn Hershman, MD, MS, a co-author of the accompanying editorial and an expert in cancer outcomes and survivorship, to unpack what the data reveal about where we’ve made progress—and where more work lies ahead. 

Cancer mortality continues to decrease. Can you share more details about what the report outlines here?

This is the steadily positive message we have thankfully been able to see for the past thirty years. Since 1991, overall cancer mortality has declined by more than a third, translating to nearly 5 million lives saved. This steady progress reflects decades of investment in research, prevention, screening, and treatment. 

This year’s report also highlights a major milestone: for the first time, the five-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined has reached 70% for people diagnosed between 2015 and 2021. We’ve also seen particularly striking survival gains since the mid-1990s in historically deadly cancers such as multiple myeloma, liver cancer, and lung cancer. 

Together, these trends demonstrate that we are increasingly able to transform cancer—from what was once often a death sentence—into a chronic condition that many people can live with for years. This is tangible proof that research saves lives.

Despite this progress, the report also highlights areas of concern. Where do we still need to focus?

Several troubling trends persist. Breast cancer rates continue to rise, especially in women younger than 50. Colorectal cancer is also increasing in adults under the age of 50. This rise of early-onset cancers is not a new trend – multiple major reports over the past few years have also highlighted rising rates of several cancers in younger adults as a major concern.  

There is a huge amount of research activity working to elucidate the drivers of this worrying trend. While our understanding of these early onset cancers has certainly advanced, we still do not fully understand the biological, environmental, and population-level drivers behind these increases. 

Addressing this gap is a major research priority. At the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, we are actively working to better understand early-onset cancers through dedicated research efforts and specialized clinical programs, including focused initiatives in early-onset colorectal cancer that integrate patient care with discovery science.

Beyond early-onset cancers, what other trends stand out?

Prostate cancer is an important area of concern. The report projects that more men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at advanced stages, when treatment is more complex and cure is less attainable. This trend aligns with findings from the ACS Prostate Cancer Statistics, 2025 report, which showed that after years of decline, prostate cancer incidence increased sharply between 2014 and 2021, alongside a concerning rise in advanced-stage diagnoses. 

Lung cancer presents a more mixed picture. On the positive side, five-year survival for advanced-stage lung cancer has improved substantially since the mid-1990s, reflecting advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapy. At the same time, lung cancer is still projected to be the leading cause of cancer death in 2026—exceeding deaths from colorectal and pancreatic cancers combined. 

This underscores the continued need for robust lung cancer screening and education efforts, tobacco cessation, and ongoing investment in novel therapies. Improving access to screening for high-risk populations remains a key strategy for reducing mortality. As part of this effort, the HICCC recently launched a mobile lung cancer screening van that delivers low-dose CT screening and lung health education directly within the communities most likely to benefit.

Anything else we should touch on in summary?

There is much to celebrate in these data, and they speak to the extraordinary progress made across the cancer field. At the same time, higher survival rates mean that the population of cancer survivors continues to grow—and survivorship brings its own unique challenges. 

Going forward, it will be increasingly important to strengthen cancer survivorship research and ensure that those findings are translated into care delivery and health policy. Supporting survivors throughout and beyond treatment must remain a core priority as we continue to advance cancer outcomes for patients and communities alike.