Cancer Survival Rates Reach 70% as Treatment Advances Show Impact
A new report from the American Cancer Society shows 70% of cancer patients now survive five years or more, marking the first time this milestone has been reached. Improvements are attributed to advances in immunotherapy, CAR T-cell therapy, and expanded screening programs.
According to a new report from the American Cancer Society, cancer survival rates are on the rise across the United States. For the first time, 70% of all cancer patients are surviving for five years or more. Experts attribute the improvements to advancements in treatments like immunotherapy and CAR T-cell therapy, as well as more widespread cancer screening.
The report found significant improvements in 5-year survival rates for certain cancer types, including a jump from 15% to 28% for lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths. Some cancers, like myeloma, have seen a huge jump in survival, with 30% more people surviving five years than they did previously. Experts say the advancements in treatments like surgical techniques, radiation oncology, and combination therapies have all contributed to the better outcomes.
The American Cancer Society's annual report tracking cancer survival rates was released on February 13, 2026.
CAR T-cell therapy represents a breakthrough cancer treatment that reprograms a patient's own immune cells to recognize and attack blood cancers like leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma. The therapy trains the body's immune cells to target cancer. By engineering these T cells in a lab and infusing them back into the body, doctors can unleash a highly targeted immune response that has led to remarkable remissions in some patients who had run out of other options.
About 1.2 million people are affected by blood cancers each year in the United States, and because diagnostic tools are improving, more cases are being found at earlier stages. Blood cancers can occur at any age, from childhood leukemias to myeloma in older adults.
The Chief of Cancer Screening, Survivorship, and Mentorship at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center stated, "There's so much energy into research, and we see the benefit that we're going in the right direction, and that's why it's so imperative that we keep doing this." The center also noted that with lung cancer, "we're seeing that shift 15-percent improvement over five years. That's mostly due to drugs and through the introduction of screening."
The increase in cancer survival rates is an encouraging sign that medical research and improved treatment options are making a real difference in people's lives. However, with more survivors, there is also a greater need to ensure they receive the ongoing healthcare and support they require to maintain their health and quality of life.
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center plans to continue its focus on cancer research and treatment innovations to build on the progress shown in the latest American Cancer Society report.