Cancer Prevention

More than half of all cancer deaths can be prevented by fully leveraging the knowledge, tools and medical breakthroughs we have today.

Providing everyone with the opportunity to have a healthy lifestyle and true access to cancer screenings - like mammograms and colonoscopies - could save thousands of lives every year.

We are working to pass laws at every level of government that are proven to help prevent and detect cancer.

Half of all cancer deaths can be prevented.

Take Action

Cancer researcher working in a lab

Urge Congress to protect and increase lifesaving cancer research funding

The fight against cancer doesn't just happen in a doctor's office. Ending cancer as we know it, for everyone, starts in Congress and sustained funding for lifesaving cancer research. 

Latest Updates

September 14, 2023

Washington, D.C., September 14, 2023 Bipartisan legislation that would eliminate financial barriers to prostate cancer screening was introduced in the U.S. Senate. Sponsored by Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Boozman (R-AR), the Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men (PSA Screening for HIM) Act would waive cost-sharing requirements for men with the highest risk of prostate cancer, focusing on Black men and those with a family history of the disease.

August 10, 2023
Colorado

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) hosted its 15th annual Colorado Policy Forum at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, Wednesday evening. Leaders from the public health, business, education, and government sectors gathered learn about the work being done to try to end cancer in the state.

June 30, 2023
New Jersey

TRENTON, NJ – JUNE 30, 2023 – This afternoon, the New Jersey Legislature passed the 2023-24 budget—the contents of which are a mixed bag in the fight against cancer. The budget now awaits Governor Murphy’s approval. While the state made sound investments in cancer screening and research, they missed an

June 27, 2023
National

Today, patient groups representing millions of individuals with serious health conditions filed an amicus curiae (or friend-of-the-court) brief in the case of Braidwood v. Becerra in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in support of the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s defense of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions requiring private insurers provide coverage of certain evidence-based preventive services without cost-sharing. The amicus brief provides extensive scientific data to the appeals court demonstrating that preventive services save lives and are cost-effective, as well as examples of the cost-free services that would be lost for many patients if the lower court’s decision is upheld.

Cancer Prevention Resources

Critical steps are needed to increase lung cancer screening rates across the country and also increasing to access comprehensive cessation benefits, especially among individuals with limited incomes that are disproportionately burdened by lung cancer.

ACS CAN supports H.R. 4286 to eliminate barriers and increase access to lung cancer screening and expand coverage for tobacco cessation.

Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer among women in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer death among women after lung cancer. Ensuring breast cancer screening services ― including diagnostic and follow-up testing ― are covered without no cost-sharing is essential to increasing access and expanding coverage of breast cancer screening.

ACS CAN supports H.R. 3086 to increase access to no cost breast cancer screening, diagnostic and follow-up testing.

ACS CAN supports the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2023 by to accelerate progress in reducing mortality from lung cancer, including among women.