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.

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National

Increase funding for lifesaving cancer screening programs

It is critical that we ensure equitable access to breast and cervical cancer screenings. Urge your member of Congress to support full funding of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.

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Latest Updates

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Iowa Legislators Restrict Access to HPV Vaccine that Prevents Cancer  

April 14, 2026
Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa – “Iowa has the 2nd highest cancer rates in the country, and our cancer incidence continues to rise year over year. The state legislature’s vote to restrict access to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for minors will make our cancer crisis worse. Childhood vaccinations are a powerful

Cervical Cancer Screening Legislation Will Save Lives of Oregonians 

February 2, 2026
Oregon

SALEM, Oregon –– Cervical cancer screenings save many Oregonian lives, but too often patients must make significant financial sacrifice for a full, clear diagnosis and some simply cannot afford to get to the bottom of a potentially deadly initial screening result. The Oregon Legislature has an opportunity to bridge that

Arizona Cancer Survivors, Patients Call on State Lawmakers to Prioritize Access to Care, Early Detection, and Tobacco Control this Session

January 21, 2026
Arizona

PHOENIX, ARIZ. - With the 2026 legislative session now underway, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is leading efforts this session to protect and expand access to quality health care, sustain lifesaving cancer prevention measures, and reestablish Arizona as the country’s leader in tobacco control. ACS CAN

Congress Demonstrates Strong Commitment to Cancer Prevention and Cures in FY26 Appropriations Bill

January 20, 2026
National

Today, the Congressional Appropriations Committees released the FY2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill that reaffirms the bipartisan commitment to advancing cancer research and saving lives by continued and increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Cancer Prevention Resources

Just the Facts: Breast Cancer Disparities

May 1, 2025

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the U.S. Although there has been substantial progress in reducing breast cancer mortality in the US over the past several decades, there are persistent disparities, especially among Black women. Additionally, breast cancer incidence is increasing, with the steepest trends among young women under 50. In 2025, an estimated 316,950 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer with an additional 59,080 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in women, and 42,680 will die from the disease. 

ACS CAN Supports the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025

April 21, 2025

ACS CAN supports the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025 to accelerate progress in reducing mortality from lung cancer. 

Early Detection and Screening Can Save Lives & Money

April 30, 2024

Early detection of breast and cervical cancer through screening can improve survival and reduce mortality by finding cancer at an early stage when treatment is more effective and less expensive. To save lives and reduce health care spending, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) is highly effective at detecting and treating breast and cervical cancer in people who may otherwise not be screened.