11 Facts About Cancer

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1. Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. There are over 100 types of cancer, and any part of the body can be affected.^[World Health Organization. "10 Facts on Cancer." https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/cancer/en/. Accessed January 31, 2020.]
2. The most common cancers diagnosed in men are prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers. For women, the 3 most common cancers are breast, lung, and colorectal.^[American Cancer Society. “Facts and Figures 2019.” https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/facts-and-figures-2019.html. Accessed January 31, 2020.]
3. In 2020, there will be an estimated 1.8 million new cancer cases diagnosed and 606,520 cancer deaths in the United States.^[American Cancer Society. “Cancer Facts & Figures: 2020.” https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/cancer-facts-figures-2020.html. Accessed January 31, 2020]
4. 80% of all cancers in the United States are diagnosed in people 55 years of age or older.^[American Cancer Society. “Cancer Facts & Figures: 2020.” https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/cancer-facts-figures-2020.html. Accessed January 31, 2020]
5. Childhood cancers account for 1 percent of all new cancer diagnoses. In 2018, about 15,590 children and teens ages (ages 0-19) were diagnosed with cancer. Although uncommon, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children.^[National Cancer Institute. “Cancer in Children and Adolescents.” https://www.cancer.gov/types/childhood-cancers/child-adolescent-cancers-fact-sheet. Accessed January 31, 2020.]
6. About 67% of Americans diagnosed with cancer survive five or more years after their diagnoses.^[National Cancer Institute. “Cancer Stat Facts.” https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/all.html. Accessed January 31, 2020.]
7. In 2016, there were an estimated 15.5 million cancer survivors in the US. The number of cancer survivors is expected to increase to 20.3 million by 2026.^[National Cancer Institute. "Cancer Statistics." https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics. Accessed January 31, 2020.]
8. Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally -- it accounts for 1 in 6 deaths around the world.^[World Health Organization. “Cancer: Key Facts.” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer. Accessed January 31, 2020.]
9. Globally, approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries.^[World Health Organization. “Cancer: Key Facts.” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer. Accessed January 31, 2020.]
10. 30-50% of cancer cases are preventable. The following behaviors can help reduce the risk of cancer: maintaining a healthy body mass index, eating high amounts of fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco use, and limiting alcohol use.^[World Health Organization. “Cancer Prevention.” who.int/cancer/prevention/en/. Accessed January 31, 2020.]
11. Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of cancer. Smoking tobacco accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths and 80% of all lung cancer deaths. Encourage your loved ones to quit smoking. Sign up for Quitters Always Win.^[World Health Organization. “Cancer Prevention.” who.int/cancer/prevention/en/. Accessed January 31, 2020; American Cancer Society. “Health Risks of Smoking Tobacco.” https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/tobacco-and-cancer/health-risks-of-smoking-tobacco.html. Accessed January 31, 2020.]