10 Common Cancers

There are more than 100 different types of cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. All cancers have one thing in common – they all occur when body cells begin to divide faster than normal then spread to other parts of the body. Many types of cancer can cause death. Fortunately, prompt diagnosis and proper cancer care greatly extend life spans and improve the quality of life for those with cancer.

Here are the ten most common types of cancer in the United States.

1. Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in men and women, according to the American Cancer Society. About 3.3 million people in the United States have nonmelanoma basal or squamous cell skin cancers. Melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer; doctors will diagnose more than 75,000 cases of skin cancer in 2016.

2. Breast Cancer

Breast cancer continues to be the most common type of cancer aside from skin cancer, with more than 249,000 new cases expected in the United States this year. The number of new cases includes an estimated 246,660 women and 2,600 men. There are currently 2.8 million people currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer or who have survived the disease.

3. Lung Cancer

About 402,326 Americans living today were diagnosed with lung cancer at some point in their lives. The American Cancer Society expects 224,390 new cases of lung cancer this year.

4. Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after skin cancer. Because treatment is often successful, more than 2 million men living today have survived prostate cancer.

5. Colorectal Cancer

The term “colorectal cancer” describes cancers affecting the colon and rectum. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. In fact, health experts expect doctors will diagnose 134,490 new cases of colorectal cancer during 2016 and that the disease will cause 49,190 deaths this year. Fortunately, early screening with colonoscopy and prompt treatment is helping to reduce the number of deaths each year. There are currently more than a million survivors of colorectal cancer in the U.S.

6. Bladder Cancer

There are currently 587,426 people living with bladder cancer; another 76,960 will be diagnosed with the disease this year. This type of cancer typically develops on the innermost lining of the bladder. As the cancer advances through other layers of the bladder wall, it becomes more difficult to treat.

7. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a cancer that starts in cells of the immune system. These cells, known as lymphocytes, are in the lymph nodes, spleen and bone marrow. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma accounts for about 4 percent of all cases of cancer. While NHL can occur at any age, about half of all patients with this type of cancer are over the age of 66.

8. Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer starts in the thyroid gland, situated below your Adam’s apple on the front part of your neck. Your thyroid gland produces hormones that help regulate your body’s metabolic rate, heart and digestive function, bone maintenance, muscle control and brain development.

Thyroid cancer is much more common in females than in males. In 2016, there were 637,115 people living in the United States with thyroid cancer.

9. Kidney Cancer

Your kidneys are part of your renal system that works to rid your body of toxins and excess fluids, and to stabilize your blood pressure. The ureters, which are two tubes that carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder, are part of the renal pelvis. The term “kidney cancer” includes cancers that start deep inside the renal cells of your kidneys and in your renal pelvis. About 394,336 people were living in the U.S. with kidney and renal pelvis cancer in 2013.

10. Leukemia

Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects blood and bone marrow. Without treatment, leukemia progresses rapidly. Leukemia starts when a cell in the bone marrow changes into a leukemia cell. Once this happens, the bone marrow starts producing leukemia cells that live and reproduce better than normal cells. In time, the leukemia cells begin to crowd out healthy cells. An estimated 333,975 Americans were living with leukemia in 2013.