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Which Cancer Kills the Most People in the US? The 2026 Numbers
Lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths in the United States, about 1 in 5 of the total. Here are the leading cancer killers for 2026 and what has changed.
Original commentary from the Cancer Explained editorial team.
Please note: this page is educational only — it is not medical advice, and it does not speculate about anyone’s health beyond reliable public reporting. For questions about your own health, talk with your healthcare team.
The answer
Lung cancer kills more people in the United States than any other cancer. The American Cancer Society (ACS) projects about 124,990 lung cancer deaths in 2026, 63,040 in men and 61,950 in women. The ACS says this is roughly 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths.
The ACS also notes that lung cancer will cause more deaths in 2026 than the second-ranking cancer, colorectal, and the third-ranking cancer, pancreatic, put together.
The leading cancer killers in 2026
These are the ACS projections for deaths, from the highest.
- Lung and bronchus: about 124,990.
- Colon and rectum: about 55,230.
- Pancreas: about 52,740.
- Breast: about 42,670, nearly all in women (about 42,140).
- Prostate: about 36,320.
- Liver and bile duct: about 30,980.
- Leukemia: about 23,910.
All cancers together are projected to cause about 626,140 deaths in 2026, among about 2,114,850 new diagnoses.
Some cancers affect only one sex. Prostate cancer deaths are in men. Breast cancer deaths are nearly all in women, though about 530 men are projected to die of it too. The ACS tables break the numbers out by sex if you want detail.
How this compares with the CDC count
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) counts actual death certificates. For 2024, cancer was the second leading cause of death in the US with 619,876 deaths. Heart disease was first with 683,491. The CDC figure is a final count. The ACS figure for 2026 is a projection, so the two will not match exactly.
What is going right
Cancer death rates have fallen 34 percent since their peak in 1991, according to the ACS. It estimates this avoided about 4.8 million deaths. Seven in 10 people now survive at least five years after a cancer diagnosis, up from about half in the mid-1970s.
Lower smoking rates, earlier detection and better treatment are widely credited for part of that progress. Our overview of lung cancer covers risk factors and who can be screened. Our page on colorectal cancer explains how screening can find growths before they turn into cancer.
What this does not mean
It does not mean lung cancer is the cancer you are most likely to get. Breast and prostate cancer have more new cases each year than lung cancer. Fewer people die of them, partly because they are often found earlier.
It does not mean only smokers get lung cancer. Smoking is the leading risk factor, but people who never smoked also get it. Radon, air pollution, family history and other exposures play a part.
It does not predict anything for one person. These figures are national projections. They describe populations, and the 2026 numbers are estimates that will be replaced by final counts.
Sources
- American Cancer Society, Cancer statistics, 2026 report, press room summary (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://pressroom.cancer.org/cancer-statistics-report-2026
- American Cancer Society, Key statistics for lung cancer (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
- American Cancer Society, estimated new cases and deaths by site, 2026 (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2026/mr6-leading-sites-2026-branded.pdf
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Mortality in the United States, 2024 (accessed 2026-10-06) — https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db548.htm
How this article was prepared
An AI-assisted editorial system helped prepare this page. No named medical reviewer has reviewed it unless one is listed.
The National Cancer Information Foundation publishes Cancer Explained. This page is for learning. It is not medical advice and does not suggest a test or treatment.
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Put the story in context
Prevention, possible warning signs, screening, and diagnosis
This story relates to Cancer statistics. The information below is general: it does not reveal anything else about a public person’s health, and not every point applies to every cancer. Personal advice depends on age, symptoms, family history, exposures, and medical history.
Prevention and risk reduction
Not every cancer can be prevented. Avoiding tobacco, protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation, limiting alcohol, staying active, and receiving recommended HPV or hepatitis B vaccination can lower the risk of certain cancers. A risk factor is not a prediction or a cause in one individual.
Symptoms and possible early signs
Possible signs vary and are often caused by conditions other than cancer. Changes worth discussing include a new lump, unexplained bleeding or weight loss, a persistent cough, lasting bowel or bladder changes, a changing skin spot, or symptoms that persist or worsen. Some early cancers cause no symptoms.
Screening and early detection
Screening looks for certain cancers before symptoms begin. Recommended tests exist only for some cancers and depend on age and risk. Screening can have benefits and harms; it is not the same as evaluating a new symptom, and there is no single routine scan or blood test that reliably screens for every cancer.
How cancer is diagnosed
Diagnosis may involve a history and exam, imaging, laboratory tests, and often a biopsy. Pathology can identify the cancer type and may test biomarkers that guide treatment. Symptoms, screening results, tumor markers, or online stories alone cannot confirm cancer.
Learn about this story’s cancer topic
A public story may encourage questions, but it should not be used to estimate your risk or choose testing. Contact a healthcare professional about a persistent or concerning change. Seek urgent care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.
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