Cancer Death Rates Are Declining, Yet Black Patients Still Face Higher Mortality

Racial disparities are narrowing among cancer patients, but people of color remain more likely to die from cancer, a new report says.

The disparity in cancer death rates between Black and white Americans has narrowed substantially, from 34 percent higher in 1991 to 9 percent in 2024, the American Association for Cancer Research says in its report.

But Black people and American Indians/Alaska natives continue to experience the highest overall cancer death rate of any racial or ethnic group in the United States, according to the Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026.

This gap remains — even though the overall U.S. cancer death rate has fallen by 35 percent since 1991, translating to more than 4.8 million fewer cancer deaths and a growing population of more than 18.6 million cancer survivors, the report says.

“Decades of research have significantly increased our understanding of the causes of cancer, how to detect it early, and how to treat it more effectively,” Mariana Stern, head of the report steering committee and chair of cancer research at USC Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, said in a news release. “Unfortunately, these advances have not reached all populations equally.” 

Progress in lung cancer deaths has been a major factor in the narrowing of the racial gap between Black and white Americans, the report says.

Black people died from lung cancer at a rate 23 percent higher than that of white people in 1991, but by 2024 that gap had not only disappeared but reversed, the report says. Nowadays, the lung cancer death rate is about 4 percent lower among Black people than white folks.

Other signs of progress noted by the report include:

• Cervical cancer death rates declined from 70 percent higher among Hispanic women compared to white women in 2000 to 10 percent higher in 2024.
• Stomach cancer death rates among Asian or Pacific Islander people fell from 150 percent higher than those of whites in 2000 to 81 percent higher in 2024.

“Eliminating cancer disparities must remain a national priority so that every American has a chance to benefit from advances in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer,” Dr. Margaret Foti, chief executive officer of AACR, said in a news release. “With sustained commitment, collaboration, and investment, we can continue to make progress for all cancer patients.”

Several Racial Disparities Persist in Cancer Death Rates

Despite this good news, researchers said many substantial gaps in cancer research still exist. Some are based on race, but others reflect where a person lives or their sexual or gender identity:

• American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic people in the United States continue to have significantly higher death rates for stomach, gallbladder, and liver cancers.
• Rural residents are 17 percent more likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer and 27 percent more likely to die from it than people in urban areas.
• Lesbian women have nearly twofold higher rates of thyroid cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma than heterosexual women.
• Cervical cancer rates are 49 percent higher among women living in poverty-stricken counties, compared to those in wealthier counties.

“These cancer disparities contribute to the high national cancer burden and slow the overall progress against cancer, with costs and consequences that impact the entire country,” Stern said.

“Much work remains before the full benefits of cancer research reach everyone in the United States,” Stern added. “However, the progress to date demonstrates what is achievable when we invest in understanding and addressing the root causes of cancer disparities.”

More information

The National Cancer Institute has more on cancer disparities.

SOURCE: American Association for Cancer Research, news release, June 24, 2026

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