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 21, 2023
Nevada

LAS VEGAS, NEV. – Cancer survivors and patients from Las Vegas and Reno represented Nevada in Washington, D.C. Tuesday as part of the annual American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. Tammy Moyle, Deidra Hamilton, Patti Kellerhouse, Jennifer Johnson, Sean McCoy, and Alphonso Gibbs joined more than 700 cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers from across the United States to meet with and urge lawmakers to prioritize cancer care and prevention.

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

Cancer Prevention Resources

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) appreciate the opportunity to comment on the proposed rule to update the definition for the implied nutrient content claim “healthy” to be consistent with current nutrition science and Federal dietary guidance.

The undersigned public health, medical and professional organizations write in strong support of your recent announcement that FDA will issue a proposed rule to reduce the nicotine level in cigarettes to non-addictive or minimally addictive levels. Such a standard would generate massive public health benefits, preventing millions of young people from smoking and dramatically reducing the number of people who die from tobacco-caused diseases. We urge you to move forward with this proposal as quickly as possible.

The undersigned organizations write to express our concern that FDA has yet to issue any decisions on applications for marketing orders for menthol-flavored e-cigarettes or e-liquid products. We believe granting any such orders would be inconsistent with the agency’s marketing denial orders for other non-tobacco flavored products and would be harmful to public health, particularly to the health of young people.