Cancer Prevention

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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.

Check out our infographic to learn more about Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests.

Take Action

Woman with headscarf with her mother

Urge Congress to vote YES to save more lives from breast and cervical cancer

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote soon to reauthorize a program that provides free and low cost breast and cervical cancer screenings to those who need them most. 

Latest Updates

October 21, 2024
National

Today 35 organizations, representing millions of patients with serious health conditions and thousands of health care professionals, filed an amicus curiae, or “friend-of-the-court,” brief in the case of Braidwood v. Becerra at the U.S. Supreme Court.

August 9, 2024
Arizona

Advocates with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) commend Governor Katie Hobbs for supporting the newly unveiled five-year Arizona Cancer Control Plan. The plan includes policy provisions that pursue additional resources for cancer patient navigation and cancer screenings as well as reinstating the historical leadership for the state in tobacco control policies.

August 2, 2024
National

This week, the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations considered and approved its draft FY25 appropriations bill that includes significant increases for the NIH, increases for NCI and an increase for CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control.

July 25, 2024
National

The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA) of 2024, which provides a comprehensive set of strategic policy solutions designed to enhance the health and well-being of underserved and marginalized communities.

Cancer Prevention Resources

In 2024, an estimated 13,820 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer, and 4,360 will die from the disease. Cervical cancer can affect any person with a cervix and most often is caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Persistent HPV infection causes almost all cervical cancers but fortunately there is a safe and effective vaccine against HPV.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death in women. Although incidence rates have increased slightly over the past decade, death rates from breast cancer have been consistently declining over the last three decades, largely due to increased screening rates and improved treatment.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) believes everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. No one should be disadvantaged in their fight against cancer because of income, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, or where they live. From preventive screening and early detection, through diagnosis and treatment, and into survivorship, there are several factors that influence cancer disparities among different populations across the cancer continuum.