U.S. Cancer Survival Rates Hit Record High of 70%

Cancer is no longer the death sentence it once was, and the numbers prove it.

A new report from the American Cancer Society reveals that 70% of Americans with cancer now survive at least five years after diagnosis. In the mid-1970s, fewer than half made it that long. Even more remarkable: people with historically deadly cancers are thriving in ways that seemed impossible just decades ago.

Myeloma survival doubled from 32% to 62%. Liver cancer survival tripled from 7% to 22%. Lung cancer, the deadliest form of the disease, saw survival nearly double from 15% to 28%.

The shift comes from three major breakthroughs. First, researchers learned to read cancer's genetic code and create treatments that target specific mutations instead of attacking the whole body. Second, expanded screening programs catch cancers earlier when they're far easier to treat. Third, smoking rates plummeted from 42% in the 1960s to just 11% today, preventing countless tobacco-related cancers before they start.

Dr. William Dahut, the American Cancer Society's chief scientific officer, says doctors once used "very blunt instruments" to fight cancer. Today's precision treatments work with the immune system to hunt down cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

Nearly 20 million Americans now live with a cancer diagnosis. That growing community includes people like Lynn Durham, who survived cancer three times and now leads Georgia CORE, a cancer support organization. She credits treatment advances for her full remission but knows survival comes with lasting challenges.

"We need to celebrate that there are more cancer survivors, but we also need to give them access to the continued treatment, resources, and guidance that they need to live a full life," Durham told reporters.

The next frontier is lung cancer screening. Despite being the deadliest cancer, killing twice as many Americans as any other type, only 19% of eligible people get screened. Dr. Christine Lovly of City of Hope advocates for expanded screening guidelines that look beyond smoking history to include environmental factors, age, and genetics.

The Ripple Effect

This progress didn't happen overnight. It took decades of research funding, public health campaigns against tobacco, and countless clinical trials. The results touch nearly every American family, transforming cancer from an almost certain death into a condition millions manage while living full lives.

The improvements reach across age groups too. Childhood leukemia now has a nearly 90% cure rate. Adults with cancers once considered terminal are planning retirements and meeting grandchildren.

Progress continues as researchers push screening guidelines forward and develop even more targeted therapies. Every percentage point increase in survival represents thousands of parents attending graduations, friends sharing meals, and grandparents telling stories they never thought they'd live to share.

Modern medicine turned the tide on cancer, and the wave keeps rising.