The following are key statistics generally used to assess the impact of cancer in the general population. Use the links on this page to learn more about each statistic type.

  • Incidence - the number of newly diagnosed cases during a specific time period
  • Mortality - the number of deaths during a specific time period
  • Prevalence - new and pre-existing cases for people alive on a certain date
  • Survival - the proportion of patients alive at some point subsequent to the diagnosis of their cancer
  • Lifetime Risk - the probability of developing or dying of cancer
  • Statistics by Race/Ethnicity - a measure of the cancer burden in racial/ethnic minorities and medically underserved populations

What are cancer statistics? Cancer registries collect and interpret data to help tell a story about the latest cancer trends.