PHILADELPHIA – The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) today released its Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026 , a comprehensive analysis of the unequal burden of cancer in the United States. First published in 2020, this biennial report highlights the progress being made against cancer disparities while also raising awareness of the disproportionate toll that cancer continues to exact on racial and ethnic minority groups and other medically underserved populations, including sexual and gender minorities and residents of rural areas and persistent-poverty regions.
The AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026 examines the causes of cancer disparities and calls for continued federal support for cancer disparities research to ensure that advances against cancer benefit all patients, regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, or geographic location. This year’s report also includes 10 compelling personal stories from cancer survivors and advocates of various backgrounds, underscoring the real-world impact of ongoing efforts to achieve health equity.
PROMISING TRENDS IN CANCER DISPARITIES
Decades of research have led to unprecedented progress against cancer. Since 1991, the overall cancer death rate in the U.S. has fallen by 35%, translating to more than 4.8 million fewer cancer deaths and a growing population of more than 18.6 million cancer survivors. The report also outlines encouraging reductions in some cancer disparities:
CANCER DISPARITIES REMAIN A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE
Despite this progress, disparities persist across the cancer continuum and remain a major public health challenge. According to the AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026 :
The report also highlights emerging concerns, such as rising incidence rates of early-onset colorectal cancer across all racial and ethnic groups—with the largest increases occurring among AIAN populations—and increasing lung cancer incidence among Asian women who have never smoked, underscoring the need for continued research to better understand and address the factors driving these trends.
“Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death and a major driver of health care costs in the U.S. Decades of research have significantly increased our understanding of the causes of cancer, how to detect it early, and how to treat it more effectively. Unfortunately, these advances have not reached all populations equally,” said AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026 Steering Committee Chair Mariana C. Stern, PhD, professor and Ira Goodman Chair in Cancer Research at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and associate director of population science at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. “These cancer disparities contribute to the high national cancer burden and slow the overall progress against cancer, with costs and consequences that impact the entire country. Much work remains before the full benefits of cancer research reach everyone in the U.S. However, the progress to date demonstrates what is achievable when we invest in understanding and addressing the root causes of cancer disparities. We can develop strategies to lower barriers to care, expand access to screening and clinical trials, and develop therapies that work for all populations. This report summarizes that progress, identifies priorities for continued work, and offers a call to action to reduce the cancer burden across the U.S.”
UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THE CAUSES OF CANCER DISPARITIES
As discussed in the report, cancer disparities arise from a complex interplay of structural, social, environmental, and biological factors. Structural inequities—rooted in a history of racism, segregation, and discrimination—continue to shape social drivers of health (SDOH) such as income, education, housing, and access to care.
These factors influence cancer risk, early detection, access to treatment, and outcomes. For example:
Encouragingly, institutions, government entities, and organizations have developed and implemented several effective interventions to address the root causes of cancer disparities. Approaches highlighted in the report include:
THE AACR CALL TO ACTION
Cancer disparities are neither inevitable nor insurmountable. Federal investments in cancer research, as well as prevention and screening programs, have resulted in measurable progress. Yet recent funding cuts, program disruptions, and administrative instability threaten to undermine these gains. A recent AACR survey of cancer disparities researchers found:
Continued progress against cancer disparities will depend on renewed federal and legislative action to reverse these setbacks. The AACR Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026 calls on policymakers and other stakeholders to:
“Eliminating cancer disparities must remain a national priority so that every American has a chance to benefit from advances in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of AACR. “With sustained commitment, collaboration, and investment, we can continue to make progress for all cancer patients.”
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RESOURCES
For a copy of the report , as well as video interviews and b-roll with patients featured in the report, contact Kathleen Medora at kathleen.medora@aacr.org or 215-290-5408.
To register to attend the June 24 congressional briefing unveiling the report in person, please fill out this form . To register to view the event livestream, please fill out this form .
The AACR has made the following graphics available for reporters’ use in stories and on social media. Download them at the links below: