New report from the American Cancer Society shows cancer survival rates here in the United States have reached a new milestone. 

The five-year survival rate for all cancers is now 70% for people diagnosed from 2015 through 2021. 

“If we look at the improvements in overall survival, that includes some improvement in what has been historically fatal cancers. And it really highlights better research, better treatments,” said Dr Dale Shepard, oncologist at Cleveland Clinic. 

Dr Shepard said the report also found that survival rates since the mid-1990s are especially notable for people diagnosed with more fatal cancers, such as myeloma, liver cancer and lung cancer. 

But while cancer death rates are continuing to decline, cancer incidence has increased for many cancers, including breast, prostate, liver and pancreas.  

“There are several reasons for that. Screenings are important. So, we will find more cancers, and the incidence goes up if we’re effectively screening. But again, that goes hand in hand with finding early cancer and curing it, and then we improve the death rate due to cancer,” said Dr. Shepard.

Despite the progress, lung cancer is projected to cause the most cancer deaths in 2026, more than second-ranking colorectal cancer and third-ranking pancreatic cancer combined.