Nearly 1 in 10 US Adults Report Having Had Cancer, Gallup Finds

Nearly 1 in 10 US adults say they have had a cancer diagnosis as of 2025, up 2.7% from 2009, according to new research from Gallup (Center bias).

The Details: Survey data from over 40,000 US adults show that 9.7% now say they have received a cancer diagnosis at some point, the highest level Gallup has recorded. The growing lifetime prevalence of cancer appears largely driven by improved survival rates and an aging population, both of which increase the number of adults living with a past diagnosis. While certain cancers have seen rising incidence, especially among women and younger adults, overall mortality rates continue to decline and five-year survival has improved. 

For Context: A 2025 National Institutes of Health (NIH) study found 14 types of cancers increasing in people under 50 between 2010 and 2019, including breast, colorectal, kidney, uterine, pancreatic, and some blood cancers. Nineteen other cancers also decreased among this age group. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed a 4% reduction in new cancer cases per capita between 2013 and 2022, while the American Cancer Society estimates cancer mortality has declined 34% between 1991 and 2022. This is due to improved treatments and screening techniques leading to earlier detection. 

How the Media Covered It: The Daily Mail (Lean Right) emphasized the rate of increase and highlighted the potential causes of rising cancer rates among young adults, including lifestyle factors and dietary habits. It wrote, "Doctors have been raising the alarm…for years." Axios (Lean Left) provided a more optimistic outlook by leading with the increased survival rates and the numbers being driven by older adults who are living longer after diagnosis. It noted the finding comes amid recent cuts to health research. Both outlets noted that men are more likely to say they've received a cancer diagnosis.

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