States Where Deaths From Cancer Are Going Up

Cancer has always been with us, at least back to the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth 80 million years ago: Cancerous cells have been found in dinosaur fossils.

Today, it is the second leading cause of death in the United States (after heart disease), and sixth in the world. Last year alone, more than 10 million people died of cancer around the world. More than 600,000 succumb to the disease each year in the U.S. (These are the states where the most people die of cancer.)

Thanks to significant strides in cancer detection and treatment over the last couple of decades, the illness can be manageable in many cases, but it remains a deadly threat, and despite advances, rates of cancer deaths have risen in some 38 states since 2019.

To find the states where cancer deaths are rising, 24/7 Tempo reviewed Cancer statistics, 2022, published in the American Cancer Society Journals and compared estimated 2022 cancer deaths and cases to 2019 cancer death and case statistics from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. We also added the cancers with the most estimated deaths in each state and the cancer with the most estimated new cases.

There are many explanations for why the most common forms of cancer – lung, breast, and prostate – may be higher or lower in different states, including lifestyle behaviors, demographics, and access to preventative care.

Every state has seen an increase in diagnosed cancer cases since 2019, though the change in mortality rates varies by state. A dozen states have seen a decline in cancer deaths. (These are the states fighting cancer most successfully.)