Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States in 2026, even as overall cancer mortality continues to decline, according to the American Cancer Society’s recently released “Cancer Facts & Figures 2026” report.

Cancer remains as one of the most significant public health challenges in the U.S., affecting millions of people each year despite decades of progress in prevention, detection and treatment. The American Cancer Society’s annual Cancer Facts & Figures report provides a view of how the disease continues to impact the population.

This year’s edition highlights long-term trends in declining cancer death rates while also sharing the constant burden of lung cancer, which remains the top cause of cancer-related deaths nationwide.

Excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, the report estimated that about 2.1 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2026 and more than 626,000 people will die from the disease. Lung and bronchus cancer alone is expected to account for an estimated 229,410 new cases and nearly 125,000 deaths this year.

The Cancer Facts & Figures report is based on population-level data collected from multiple national sources. Incidence data were collected from central cancer registries, including the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries.

Mortality data are drawn from the National Center for Health Statistics and include records through 2023. Survival estimates are based on data from multiple SEER registries representing about 42% of the U.S. population, with status follow-up through 2022.

Together, these sources allow the American Cancer Society to estimate future cancer burden, track long-term trends and assess differences by cancer type, stage at diagnosis and demographic factors.

Results revealed that lung and bronchus cancer continues to be a major driver of cancer cases and deaths. Among men, lung cancer is expected to be the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2026, with about 110,910 new cases, accounting for 10% of all new diagnoses. It’s also projected to be the leading cause of cancer death in men, with an estimated 63,040 deaths or 19% of all cancer deaths.

In women, lung cancer is also projected to be the second most commonly diagnosed cancer, with approximately 118,500 new cases, or 12% of diagnoses, behind only breast cancer. Lung and bronchus cancer is expected to be the leading cause of cancer death in women as well, with an estimated 61,950 deaths, or 21% of all cancer deaths, surpassing breast cancer.

Survival outcomes for lung cancer vary by stage at diagnosis. The overall five-year relative survival rate for lung and bronchus cancer is 28%. For those diagnosed at a localized stage—cancer that is found only in the organ where it started and has not spread outside—the five-year survival rate rises to 65%.

Survival drops to 37% for those diagnosed with regional disease—cancer that has spread just beyond the original organ—and just 10% for those diagnosed after the cancer has spread to distant sites—cancer that has spread far from where it started to other parts of the body.

The report also looks at disparities in lung cancer incidence across racial and ethnic groups. From 2018 to 2022, the overall incidence rate for lung and bronchus cancer was 53.2 cases per 100,000 people. Rates were highest among American Indian and Alaska Native populations at 63.0, followed by White individuals at 57.8 and Black individuals at 54.8. Lower rates were observed among Asian American and Pacific Islander populations at 33.2 and Hispanic or Latino populations at 28.3.

The report revealed that tobacco use remains the dominant risk factor driving lung cancer burden. For instance, smoking accounts for 86% of lung cancer cases and 85% of lung cancer deaths among adults ages 30 and older. While smoking rates have fallen dramatically over the past several decades, tobacco use remains widespread. In 2023, about 49 million U.S. adults, or 20%, reported using a commercial tobacco product, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes or smokeless tobacco.

The prevalence of cigarette smoking among U.S. adults has declined from 42% in 1965 to about 10% in 2024. Smoking rates among high school students have dropped even further, with just 2% reporting cigarette use in the past 30 days in 2024.

Even though there is great progress, smoking and other tobacco use remain more common among those with low socioeconomic status, those living in rural areas, people with disabilities and folks experiencing psychological distress.

The report also noted that lung cancer incidence and mortality have been declining for decades, largely due to reduced smoking and advances in treatment. Since the mid-1980s, lung cancer incidence has fallen in men and women since the mid-2000s.

From 2013 to 2022, occurrence decreased by 3% per year in men and 1.3% per year in women. Lung cancer death rates have dropped by 62% since 1990 in men and by 38% since 2002 in women, also.

Earlier detection has played a growing role in improving outcomes. Screening with low dose computed tomography has been shown to reduce lung cancer mortality among those at high risk. The American Cancer Society recommends annual screening for generally healthy adults aged 50 to 80 with a minimum 20 pack-year smoking history.

This cancer report shows both the progress made against cancer and the work that remains ahead. While overall cancer death rates continue to decline, lung cancer’s persistent toll highlights the need for continued tobacco control efforts, expanded access to screening and effective treatment across all populations.