Temporal Trends in Six Major Cancers: Implications for Lifestyle-Based Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Across the Life Course

Abstract

Simple Summary Six major cancers (female breast, colorectal, liver, lung, pancreas, and prostate) substantially impact public health in the U.S. because together they account for a large portion of cancer burden. Monitoring incidence trends can help inform effective prevention strategies. While lung and colorectal cancers’ incidence rates declined overall, rates of colorectal, pancreatic, and breast cancers increased significantly among younger adults. In contrast, liver, lung, and prostate cancers decreased among younger adults. There has been a general decline in late-stage cancer diagnoses, although lung and pancreatic cancers remain predominantly diagnosed in late stages. These trends underscore the unequal progress and ongoing challenges in cancer prevention, particularly among younger adults.