As of January 1, 2025, it is estimated that nearly 18.6 million individuals in the United States are living with a history of cancer, a staggering figure that underscores both the advances and the ongoing challenges in cancer care. Recent projections suggest that this population will grow to exceed 22 million by 2035. This significant increase is detailed in a comprehensive new report titled Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Statistics, 2025, spearheaded by the American Cancer Society (ACS). The study delves into cancer prevalence, treatment patterns, and survivorship issues while highlighting persistent disparities in care, especially among lung and colorectal cancer patients.
The rising number of cancer survivors exemplifies progress in early detection, treatment innovation, and supportive care. However, the report emphasizes that survivorship is far from uniform, and significant gaps remain in addressing long-term patient needs. Survivors often contend with the sequelae of treatment—ranging from chronic physical symptoms to psychological distress—and face financial burdens and fears of recurrence. Dr. Nikita Sandeep Wagle, the principal scientist for cancer surveillance research at the ACS and lead author, remarks that recognizing and equitably addressing these multifaceted issues is critical to improving quality of life for all survivors.
Methodologically, this study leverages robust, interlinked data streams to provide a comprehensive landscape of cancer survivorship in the United States. The ACS collaborated with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and utilized data from several high-quality registries, including the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, the CDC’s National Program of Cancer Registries, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. These datasets, together with census information and treatment data from the National Cancer Database, allowed researchers to quantify prevalence, analyze treatment modalities, and evaluate disparities with unparalleled granularity.
The analysis reveals that the most prevalent cancers differ markedly by sex, reflecting biological, environmental, and perhaps screening-driven differences. Among men, prostate cancer is the leading diagnosis affecting over 3.5 million survivors, followed by melanoma and colorectal cancer. Women survivors are predominantly grappling with breast cancer—with over 4.3 million affected individuals—followed by uterine corpus and thyroid cancers. These distinctions inform targeted survivorship care strategies and resource allocation.
Age demographics present another salient feature of the survivorship population. Approximately 51% of survivors received their diagnosis within the past decade, a testament to improved early detection and treatment success. Moreover, aging survivors compose the bulk of the population, with nearly 80% aged 60 and older. This aging survivorship group presents unique challenges, including managing comorbidities, polypharmacy, and age-related vulnerabilities alongside cancer-related concerns.
Geographical disparities also emerge from the data with significant variation in survivor numbers across states. California boasts the highest absolute numbers, approaching two million survivors, while states like Wyoming and the District of Columbia report much lower totals around 30,000 individuals. These discrepancies predominantly correlate with population density but may also reflect differences in healthcare infrastructure and access that influence diagnosis and treatment patterns.
Projection models highlight a particularly striking trend: female breast cancer survivors are expected to increase by one million over the next decade, reaching 5.3 million by 2035. This projected growth eclipses other cancers, underscoring the need to develop survivorship frameworks that can handle increasing volume and complexity. It also reflects both improved outcomes and heightened detection, raising pressing questions about the long-term management of breast cancer survivors.
Yet, despite improvements in overall survival, disparities in treatment access and outcomes remain entrenched and alarming. Uninsured patients diagnosed with early-stage colorectal cancer, for instance, experience poorer five-year survival compared to their privately insured counterparts—even when diagnosed at more advanced stages. This finding underscores the critical role insurance status plays in determining the quality and timeliness of care.
Racial inequities constitute another disturbing dimension of cancer treatment disparities illuminated by the report. Black patients with early-stage lung cancer receive surgery at significantly lower rates than White patients, with 47% versus 52%. These disparities widen further in rectal cancer treatment, where surgical intervention rates fall to 39% for Black patients compared to 64% for White patients. Such differential treatment not only affects survival but also quality of life and points to systemic barriers in healthcare access and delivery.
Experts emphasize that eliminating these disparities requires systemic change to expand access to high-quality, equitable care irrespective of socioeconomic or racial backgrounds. Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director at ACS and senior author, advocates for concerted efforts to dismantle obstacles to care during both active treatment and survivorship. Comprehensive policy, community engagement, and clinical practice reforms are needed to level the playing field for all affected by cancer.
The report also highlights the vital contribution of ongoing screening and prevention programs, which remain under threat due to proposed funding cuts at both federal and state levels. Lisa A. Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, warns that these cuts risk reversing progress by impeding access to early detection and timely treatment. Advocacy to protect these programs is critical to sustaining momentum in the fight against cancer.
Addressing survivorship comprehensively means not only focusing on treatment outcomes but also acknowledging the broader psychosocial impacts on patients and families. The ACS has developed a suite of resources and studies, such as the VOICES of Black Women Study, to better understand survivor experiences and barriers, especially in marginalized communities. These initiatives bolster the evidence base to inform tailored interventions aimed at reducing disparities and enhancing survivorship care equity.
In conclusion, the Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Statistics, 2025 report presents a critical synthesis of progress and persistent challenges in the United States’ cancer landscape. It reveals a growing population of survivors whose needs are evolving and underscore the urgency of addressing disparities in care access and quality. The report serves as both a celebration of advances achieved through scientific innovation and a clarion call for action to ensure that the promise of survivorship is shared equitably across all populations.
Subject of Research: Cancer prevalence, treatment disparities, and survivorship statistics in the United States
Article Title: Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Statistics, 2025
News Publication Date: January 2025
Web References:
- American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org
- CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians report: https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.70011
- ACS Fast Facts: https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/survivor-facts-figures.html
References: Data and analysis from SEER, CDC, NCAACR registries, National Cancer Database
Keywords: Cancer survivorship, cancer prevalence, treatment disparities, racial disparities, prostate cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cancer statistics, health equity, cancer treatment access
