World Cancer Day 2021: The Latest Cancer News and Updates

Created by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in 2000, World Cancer Day is held every February 4th to raise awareness, improve education and inspire action worldwide, with the goal of creating a world where cancer deaths are prevented, and cancer care is equal for all.

This year’s theme, “I Am and I Will,” is about making a commitment to act and standing up for a cancer-free world.

To honor World Cancer Day 2021, CURE® has rounded up some of the most important 2021 cancer statistics to educate and inform.

World Cancer Day 2021

Cancer Facts & Figures

• Going Down: The cancer death rate has fallen 31% from 1991 to 2018. This includes a 2.4% decline from 2017 to 2018 – a new record for the largest one-year drop in the cancer death rate.
• New Diagnoses: In 2021, almost 1.9 million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S.
• Cancer Types: The most common cancers (according to estimated new cases in 2021) are breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and melanoma of the skin.
• Increasing Survivorship: There were an estimated 16.9 million cancer survivors in the U.S. as of January 2019. By 2030, this number is projected to top 22.2 million.
• All in the Family: Between 5% and 10% of all cancers are genetic in nature, meaning they are linked to genes that individuals inherited from their parents.

Data sources: American Cancer Society; National Cancer Institute

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