History of Cancer

The content on this page was last updated in June 2023. More recent estimates and visualizations may be available from the NCHS Data Query System.

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History of cancer represents both newly diagnosed (incident) and pre-existing cases of cancer (1–3). Cancer history is a key public health indicator because it reflects cancer’s burden on the population and health care system.

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Key Findings

Trend: 2009–2018, 2019

Sparkline: This is a line graph showing the percentage of self-reported history of cancer among adults aged 18 and over for 2009 through 2018 (line) and at 2019 (point).

The age-adjusted percentage of adults aged 18 and over who reported a history of cancer remained stable from 5.8% in 2009 to 6.1% in 2018. In 2019, 6.6% (age adjusted) of adults aged 18 and over reported a history of cancer. See Featured Charts for additional analysis and Notes for more information about analyzing trends using NHIS data.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey. See Sources and Definitions, National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and Health, United States, 2020–2021 Table CanHst.

Estimates are based on the civilian noninstitutionalized population. See Sources and Definitions, Population.
For information on the methods used to assess trends, see Sources and Definitions, Statistical testing.
Age-adjusted estimates are presented to eliminate differences that result from changes in the distribution of age in the population over time. Some estimates are shown by a specific age group because of the strong effect of age on most health outcomes. See Sources and Definitions, Age adjustment.
In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned, and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years; therefore, trends through 2019 are not shown. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/2019_quest_redesign.htm.

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Reported history of cancer was higher in women than in men in 2019.

Figure 1 is a line graph showing the percentage of respondent-reported history of cancer among adults aged 18 and over, by sex for 2009 through 2018 (line) and at 2019 (point).

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NOTE: “Stable” refers to no statistically significant trend during the period.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey. See Sources and Definitions, National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and Health, United States, 2020–2021 Table CanHst.

From 2009 to 2018, the age-adjusted percentage of adults aged 18 and over who reported a history of cancer remained stable for both men and women.
In 2019, reported history of cancer (age adjusted) in adults aged 18 and over was higher in women (7.2%) than in men (5.9%).

Estimates are based on the civilian noninstitutionalized population. See Sources and Definitions, Population.
For information on the methods used to assess trends, see Sources and Definitions, Statistical testing.
Age-adjusted estimates are presented to eliminate differences that result from changes in the distribution of age in the population over time. Some estimates are shown by a specific age group because of the strong effect of age on most health outcomes. See Sources and Definitions, Age adjustment.
In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned, and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years; therefore, trends through 2019 are not shown. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/2019_quest_redesign.htm.

Reported history of cancer decreased in adults aged 45–54 from 2009 to 2012 and increased in adults aged 75 and over from 2009 to 2018.

Figure 2 is a line graph showing the percentage of respondent-reported history of cancer among adults, by age group for 2009 through 2018 (line) and at 2019 (point).

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NOTES: APC is annual percent change. “Stable” refers to no statistically significant trend during the period.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey. See Sources and Definitions, National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and Health, United States, 2020–2021 Table CanHst.

From 2009 to 2018, reported history of cancer increased for those aged 75 and over. From 2009 to 2012, reported history of cancer decreased for those aged 45–54 and then was stable through 2018. Reported history of cancer for other adult age groups did not change significantly from 2009 to 2018.
In 2019, reported history of cancer increased by age group, with the lowest percentage in adults aged 18–44 (1.8%), followed by adults aged 45–54 (5.2%), 55–64 (9.9%), 65–74 (16.9%), and 75 and over (24.7%).

Estimates are based on the civilian noninstitutionalized population. See Sources and Definitions, Population.
For information on the methods used to assess trends, see Sources and Definitions, Statistical testing.
Age-adjusted estimates are presented to eliminate differences that result from changes in the distribution of age in the population over time. Some estimates are shown by a specific age group because of the strong effect of age on most health outcomes. See Sources and Definitions, Age adjustment.
In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned, and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years; therefore, trends through 2019 are not shown. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/2019_quest_redesign.htm.

Reported history of cancer increased in non-Hispanic White adults from 2009 to 2018.

Figure 3 is a line graph showing the percentage of respondent-reported history of cancer among adults aged 18 and over, by race and Hispanic origin for 2009 through 2018 (line) and at 2019 (point).

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NOTES: NH is not Hispanic. APC is annual percent change. “Stable” refers to no statistically significant trend during the period.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey. See Sources and Definitions, National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and Health, United States, 2020–2021 Table CanHst.

From 2009 to 2018, the age-adjusted percentage of adults aged 18 and over who reported a history of cancer increased for non-Hispanic White adults while it did not change significantly over time for non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic Asian adults.
In 2019, among adults aged 18 and over, non-Hispanic White adults (7.5%) were more likely than non-Hispanic Black (4.9%), Hispanic (4.6%), or Non-Hispanic Asian (2.4%) adults to report a history of cancer (age adjusted). Non-Hispanic Asian adults were least likely to report a history of cancer.

Estimates are based on the civilian noninstitutionalized population. See Sources and Definitions, Population.
For information on the methods used to assess trends, see Sources and Definitions, Statistical testing.
Age-adjusted estimates are presented to eliminate differences that result from changes in the distribution of age in the population over time. Some estimates are shown by a specific age group because of the strong effect of age on most health outcomes. See Sources and Definitions, Age adjustment.
Estimates are presented according to the 1997 Office of Management and Budget’s “Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity” and are for people who reported only one racial group. See Sources and Definitions, Race.
Data on Hispanic origin and race are presented in the greatest detail possible considering the quality of the data, the amount of missing data, and the number of observations. This affects the availability of reportable data for populations such as the Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and the American Indian or Alaska Native populations. Statements about findings refer to the data presented in the figure.
In 2019, the NHIS questionnaire was redesigned, and other changes were made to weighting and design methodology. Data for 2019 have not been fully evaluated for comparability with earlier years; therefore, trends through 2019 are not shown. For more information on the 2019 NHIS redesign and evaluation of the redesign on selected indicators, see: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/2019_quest_redesign.htm.

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Respondent-reported history of cancer in adults aged 18 and over, by selected characteristics: United States, selected years 1997–2019

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey.

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Definitions

Hispanic origin: People of Hispanic origin may be of any race. See Sources and Definitions, Hispanic origin.
History of cancer: Based on a question about whether respondents had ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had cancer or a malignancy of any kind. Data exclude squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas. See Sources and Definitions, Cancer.
Race: Estimates are presented according to the 1997 Office of Management and Budget’s “Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity” and are for people who reported only one racial group. See Sources and Definitions, Race.

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References

National Cancer Institute. Available cancer prevalence statistics. Rockville, MD. Available from: https://surveillance.cancer.gov/prevalence/statistics.html.
Miller KD, Nogueira L, Mariotto AB, Rowland JH, Yabroff KR, Alfano CM, et al. Cancer treatment and survivorship statistics, 2019. CA Cancer J Clin 69(5):363–85. 2019.
National Cancer Institute. Cancer prevalence statistics overview. Rockville, MD. Available from: https://surveillance.cancer.gov/prevalence/.

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