Cancers

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell growth that can spread to other parts of the body. While biology plays a role, cancer risk is also shaped by environmental exposures, social conditions, access to prevention and screening, and structural inequities. Tobacco use, air pollution, occupational hazards, diet, physical inactivity, and access to healthcare all influence cancer risk and outcomes. Cancer affects nearly every community and family. Preventing cancer, catching it early through routine screening, and improving disease survival strengthens communities by reducing healthcare costs, supporting workforce stability, and improving quality of life. Public health approaches such as tobacco prevention, vaccination, early detection, and healthy built environments reduce cancer risk and improve outcomes across the population.

Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide. In the United States, nearly 2 million new cancer cases are diagnosed each year, and more than 600,000 people die from the disease annually. Yet many cancers are preventable or treatable when detected early. Evidence-based strategies such as tobacco control, vaccination against HPV and hepatitis B, and recommended screening for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer offer powerful opportunities to reduce cancer burden.Cancer risk and outcomes are shaped by decades of policies and practices that influence environmental exposures, workplace protections, housing, and access to healthcare. Industrial pollution, redlining, occupational hazards, and unequal access to preventive care have contributed to higher cancer risks in certain communities. These structural factors continue to shape who is most likely to develop cancer and who survives it.

Cancer does not affect all populations equally. Communities of color and people with lower incomes often face higher exposure to carcinogens, lower screening rates, delayed diagnoses, and worse outcomes. For example, Black Americans experience higher cancer mortality rates than any other racial or ethnic group in the U.S. 

Advances in research, screening, and treatment have improved survival rates, yet cancer incidence is rising in younger populations for several cancer types. At the same time, climate change, environmental exposures, and shifting lifestyle patterns are influencing cancer risk. Recent policy shifts that weaken environmental protections and contribute to declining public trust in science and healthcare institutions may further compound these risks. Public health and healthcare systems are increasingly working together to address prevention, early detection, survivorship, and environmental health in more integrated ways.

Cancer prevention and care are deeply connected to equity and the broader conditions in which people live, work, and age. Access to screening, vaccination, healthy environments, and high-quality treatment varies widely by income, geography, race, insurance status, and community infrastructure. Cancer outcomes are shaped not only by healthcare access, but also by housing quality, transportation systems, environmental exposures, food access, and workplace safety. Communities that reduce pollution, expand access to nutritious food and physical activity, and strengthen healthcare access often see lower cancer risks and improved survivorship, while harmful exposures and structural barriers to care continue to compound inequities. Addressing these challenges requires community-led approaches, culturally responsive care, and sustained investments that ensure prevention, treatment, and survivorship resources reach those historically underserved.

The costs of cancer extend far beyond healthcare, affecting families, workplaces, and local economies. But, investments in prevention, early detection, and equitable care generate broad benefits, including longer life expectancy, reduced healthcare spending, and stronger communities. Progress depends on treating cancer prevention and care as shared public health priorities and aligning policy, healthcare, and community action to reduce risk and improve outcomes for everyone.

Reducing the burden of cancer requires more than medical breakthroughs. It calls for collective action to create conditions where prevention is possible, early detection is accessible, and survivorship is supported for everyone. When communities invest in clean air and water, safe workplaces, equitable healthcare, and healthy environments, they reduce cancer risk while strengthening overall well-being. Addressing cancer through a public health lens helps ensure that longer, healthier lives are not a privilege for some, but a shared reality for all.