United States Cancer Statistics
Public Information Data:
Incidence
United States 1999 - 2018
and Puerto Rico 2005 - 2018

Summary

Summary:    Cancer incidence data are available for the United States, state and metropolitan areas (MSA) by age group, race, sex, ethnicity, year of diagnosis, childhood cancer classifications and cancer site for the years 1999 - 2018. Cancer incidence data are available for Puerto Rico by age group, sex, year of diagnosis, childhood cancer classifications and cancer site for the years 2005 - 2018.
Source:   

The United States Cancer Statistics (USCS) are the official federal statistics on cancer incidence from registries having high-quality data and cancer mortality statistics for 50 states and the District of Columbia. USCS are produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). For a list of all USCS contributors and partners, visit USCS Contributors.

Data are provided by:

Data for years 1999-2018 are provided as reported to NPCR and SEER in the 2020 data submission.

In WONDER:    You can produce tables, maps, charts, and data extracts. Obtain incidence counts, crude rates, age-adjusted rates, with 95% confidence intervals and standard errors for rates. Select specific disease and demographic criteria to produce cross-tabulated incidence measures. Data are organized into three levels of geographic detail: national, state and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). The population estimates used as the denominator for rate calculations are also shown. You can limit and index your data by any and all of the variables:
  1. Location - Regions, Divisions and States or Metropolitan Areas (MSA)
  2. Year - 1999-2018 (2005 - 2018 for Puerto Rico)
  3. Age Group
  4. Race - All, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, White, Other Races Combined (not available for Puerto Rico)
  5. Sex - Female, Male
  6. Ethnicity - Hispanic, Non-Hispanic, Unknown (not available for Puerto Rico)
  7. Leading Cancer Sites
  8. Cancer Sites
  9. Childhood Cancers

The following statistical measures are available as query results:

  1. Disease Incidence Counts
  2. Age-Adjusted Rates (optional)
  3. 95% Confidence Intervals for rates (optional)
  4. Standard Errors for rates (optional)
  5. Crude Rates (optional)

Contents:   

United States Cancer Statistics Data Request
Data Source Information
Additional Information

United States Cancer Statistics Data Request

Output:    You can produce tables, maps, charts, and data extracts. Obtain incidence counts, crude rates, age-adjusted rates, with 95% confidence intervals and standard errors for rates, from the United States Cancer Statistics public information data. The population estimates used as the denominator for rate calculations are also shown.
Variables:    You can limit and index your data by any and all of the variables.
How?    The Request screen has sections to guide you through the making a data request as step-by-step process. However, to get your first taste of how the system works, you might want to simply press any Send button, and execute the default data request. The data results for your query appear on the Table screen. After you get your data results, try the Chart and Map screens. Or export your data to a file (tab-delimited line listing) for download to your computer.
For more information, see the following:
Quick Start Guide;
Step 1, Organize and label results;
Step 2, Select location;
Step 3, Select year and demographics;
Step 4, Select cancers of interest;
Step 5, Other Options.
'By-Variables'    Select variables that serve as keys (indexes) for organizing your data. See How do I organize my data? for more information.
Notes:  
  • To map your data, you must "Group Results By" a geographical location, such as "States," in section 1 on the "Request Form" tab.
  • Metropolitan areas (MSA) do not combine with Regions, Divisions and States. For example, you cannot group results by State, and limit your data to selected MSA locations in the same query.
  • To include Puerto Rico's data, you must select the "States and Puerto Rico" button in section 2 on the "Request Form" tab. When the "States," "Regions," or "MSA" buttons are selected, then Puerto Rico's data are not included.
  • The "Group Results By" selections cannot include "Race" nor "Ethnicity" when you have requested Puerto Rico's data, by selecting the "States and Puerto Rico" button in section 2 on the "Request Form" tab.
  • When you have requested age-adjusted rates, you cannot "Group Results By" "Age Groups" in section 1 on the "Request Form" tab.
Help:    Click on any button labeled "Help", located to the right-hand side of the screen at the top of each section. Each control's label, such as the "Location" label next to the Location entry box, is linked to the on-line help for that item.
Send:    Sends your data request to be processed on the CDC WONDER databases. The Send buttons are located on the bottom of the Request page, and also in the upper right corner of each section, for easy access.

Step 1. Organize table layout:
Group Results By:    Select up to five variables that serve as keys for grouping your data. See Group Results By below for hints.
Select Optional Measures:    Select the check box to include optional measures in your report. Frequency counts are reported by default.
Title:    Enter any desired description to display as a title with your results.

Note:   See Hints and About Requesting Data for Puerto Rico below, in the Group Results By section.

Measures:
The following statistical measures are available as query results:
  1. Disease Incidence Counts
  2. Age-Adjusted Rates (optional)
  3. 95% Confidence Intervals for rates (optional)
  4. Standard Errors for rates (optional)
  5. Crude Rates (optional)
Select the check box to include optional measures in your report.

Group Results By...

Select up to five variables that serve as keys for grouping your data. For example, you could select to group (summarize, stratify, index) your data by Location (State or MSA) and Race.

How?   See How do I organize my data? for more information.

Hints:   

  1. About breast and genital system cancers:
    When generating a report by primary site, it is appropriate to either select cases by sex or generate a report by sex. By default this program includes population data for both sexes in the rate calculations. However, the default for sex-specific cancers such as prostate, ovary or cervix, is to calculate rates for the sex-specific populations. See About Breast and Genital System Cancers for more information.
  2. When age-adjusted rates are calculated, you cannot group the data by Age Group.
  3. You cannot group the data by both State and by MSA. You can group by State only when you have chosen State locations. You can group by MSA only when you have chosen MSA locations.
  4. About charts:
    You cannot make charts when your data has more than two selections in the "Group Results By" lists in section 1 on the "Request Form" tab.
  5. About maps:
    To make a map, you must "Group Results By" a geographic location, such as "State," section 1 on the "Request Form" tab. After you get the results to your query, then click the "Map" tab.
  6. About requesting data for Puerto Rico:
    • You cannot select "Race" or "Ethnicity", in the "Group Results By" list in section 1 on the "Request Form" tab when requesting data for Puerto Rico.
    • Data for Puerto Rico are requested in section 2 on the Request Form, by clicking the round button for "States and Puerto Rico."
    • When the "States and Puerto Rico" list is selected in section 2 on the Request Form, then Race and Ethnicity categories are not shown in section 3 on the Request Form.
Counts

Cancer case reports in this data set are counted by or summed by the cancer reported. For example, a single person with more than one primary cancer verified by a medical doctor is counted as a case report for each type of primary cancer reported. Having more than one primary cancer occurs in less than 20% of the population. The counts report the frequency of verified cancer diagnoses in the selected population and time period.

Age-Adjusted Rates

The calculation of age-adjusted rates is optional. Select the check box on the Request page to include these statistics in your report.

Age-adjusted rates are calculated with age distribution ratios from the Year 2000 "standard million" population, and the rates are shown per 100,000 population.

An age-adjusted rate is a weighted average of the age-specific (crude) rates, where the weights are the proportions of persons in the corresponding age groups of a standard million population. The potential confounding effect of age is reduced when comparing age-adjusted rates computed using the same standard million population.

For more information on how age-adjusted rates are calculated, see:

Notes:
  • Because cancer incidence increases with age, the change to the 2000 U.S. standard population resulted in higher incidence rates for most cancers. The data published here should not be compared with cancer incidence rates adjusted to different standard populations.
  • Incidence rates are also influenced by the choice of population denominators used in calculating the rates. Because some state health departments use customized state population projections when calculating incidence rates, the rates published here may differ slightly from those published by individual states.
  • Note that the weights used to calculate age-adjusted rates are derived from the specific populations selected as data request criteria. For example, if you limit your request to specific age groups, then the weights are calculated to represent the selected population.
  • The population of many counties along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas were displaced in the fall of 2005 by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Census Bureau estimates that that 203,937 persons were displaced from these four states in 2005, due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. CDC WONDER does not include the displaced persons in the 2005 population counts for these states, nor are these counts included in the summary populations for the affected division, regions or national population. However, the United States Cancer Statistics website does include these displaced persons in the national population figures for 2005. Thus the national rates and population figures for year 2005 are not comparable between CDC WONDER and the United States Cancer Statistics website. State and MSA population figures are comparable.
  • Incidence data are not available for all states in all years, and the state populations are excluded from the national totals when the corresponding incidence data are not available. For more information, see Data Visualizations Tool Technical Notes.


How are age-adjusted rates calculated?

The age-adjusted rate is calculated by multiplying the age-specific rate for each age group by the corresponding weight from the specified standard population, then summing across all age groups, and then multiplying this result by 100,000.

Age-Adjusted Rate = (Sum of (Each Age Specific Rate * Each Standard Population Weight) )* 100,000

The age-specific rate is the number of incidents for a given age group, divided by the population of that age group.

Number of incidents in age group
Age Specific Rate =
Population of age group

The "standard population weight" for an age group is calculated by dividing the population for the age group by the sum of the populations for all of the age groups in the query.

Population for age group
Standard Population Weight =
Sum of populations for all age groups

What standard population weights are used for age-adjusted rate calculations?

Note that the weights used to calculate age-adjusted rates are derived from the specific populations selected as data request criteria. For example, if you limit your request to specific age groups, then the weights are calculated to represent the selected population.

What are the age-specific populations for the standard populations?

Refer to the following tables to see the age-specific populations for the various "standard million" populations.

2000 US Standard Million Population
	
  	  	Standard    	
Age Group   	Population	Weight	

00-00 years	 13,818		0.013818
01-04 years	 55,317		0.055317
05-09 years	 72,533		0.072533
10-14 years	 73,032		0.073032
15-19 years	 72,169		0.072169
20-24 years	 66,478		0.066478
25-29 years	 64,529		0.064529
30-34 years	 71,044		0.071044
35-39 years	 80,762		0.080762
40-44 years	 81,851		0.081851
45-49 years	 72,118		0.072118
50-54 years	 62,716		0.062716
55-59 years	 48,454		0.048454
60-64 years	 38,793		0.038793
65-69 years	 34,264		0.034264
70-74 years	 31,773		0.031773
75-79 years	 26,999		0.026999
80-84 years	 17,842		0.017842
85+ years	 15,508		0.015508
1970 US Standard Million Population
	
 	 	  	Standard    
	Age Group   	Population	Weight		

	00-00 years 	 17,151		0.017151
	01-04 years	 67,265		0.067265
	05-09 years 	 98,204		0.098204
	10-14 years	102,304		0.102304
	20-24 years	 80,561		0.080561
	25-39 years	 66,320		0.066320
	30-34 years	 56,249		0.056249
	35-39 years	 54,656		0.054656
	40-44 years	 58,958		0.058958
	45-49 years	 59,622		0.059622
	50-54 years	 54,643		0.054643
	55-59 years	 49,077		0.049077
	60-64 years	 42,403		0.042403
	65-69 years	 34,406		0.034406
	70-74 years	 26,789		0.026789
	75-79 years	 18,871		0.018871
	80-84 years	 11,241		0.011241
	85+ years	  7,435		0.007435
1940 US Standard Million Population
	
  	  	Standard    
Age Group   	Population	Weight	

00-00 years	 15,343		0.015343
01-04 years	 64,718		0.064718
05-09 years	 81,147		0.081147
10-14 years	 89,208		0.089208
15-19 years	 93,670		0.093670
20-24 years	 88,007		0.088007
25-29 years	 84,277		0.084277
30-34 years	 77,789		0.077789
35-39 years	 72,495		0.072495
40-44 years	 66,742		0.066742
45-49 years	 62,697		0.062697
50-54 years	 55,114		0.055114
55-59 years	 44,383		0.044383
60-64 years	 35,911		0.035911
65-69 years	 28,911		0.028911
70-74 years	 19,515		0.019515
75-79 years	 11,422		0.011422
80-84 years	  5,881		0.005881
85+ years	  2,770		0.002770
2000 World Standard Million Population
	
 	  	Standard    
Age Group   	Population	Weight		

00-00 years	 24,000		0.024000
01-04 years	 96,000		0.096000
05-09 years	100,000		0.100000
10-14 years	 90,000		0.090000
15-19 years	 90,000		0.090000
20-24 years	 80,000		0.080000
25-29 years	 80,000		0.080000
30-34 years	 60,000		0.060000
35-39 years	 60,000		0.060000
40-44 years	 60,000		0.060000
45-49 years 	 60,000		0.060000
50-54 years 	 50,000		0.050000
55-59 years	 40,000		0.040000
60-64 years	 40,000		0.040000
65-69 years	 30,000		0.030000
70-74 years 	 20,000		0.020000
75-79 years 	 10,000		0.010000
80-84 years	  5,000		0.005000
85+ years	  5,000		0.005000

95% Confidence Intervals for Age-Adjusted Rates

The calculation of 95% confidence intervals for rates is optional. Select the check box on the Request page to include these statistics in your report.

The 95% confidence intervals calculated for age-adjusted rates use the Chi Square or Gamma distribution method.

Standard Errors for Rates

The calculation of standard errors for rates is optional. Select the check box on the Request page to include these statistics in your report.

Standard errors for rates are calculated with the assumption that the cancer counts have Poisson distributions.

The method for calculating standard errors for age-adjusted rates is shown below, where the age-adjusted rate is comprised of age groups x through y.

formula for standard error for an age-adjusted rate

The method for calculating standard errors for crude rates:

formula for standard error for an age-adjusted rate

Crude Rates

Crude Rates are optional. Select the check box on the Request page to include Crude Rates in your report.

Crude Rates are expressed as the number of cases reported each calendar year per 100,000 population.

Crude Rate = Count / Population * 100,000

The population estimates for the denominators of incidence rates are race-specific (American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, White), ethnicity-specific (Hispanic, Non-Hispanic), and sex-specific (Male, Female) county population estimates aggregated to the state or metropolitan area level. See Population Denominator Data Sources below for more information.

Notes:
  • Rates are calculated per 100,000 population by default.
  • Crude rates are helpful in determining the need for services for a given population, relative to another population, regardless of size. Crude rates are influenced by the underlying age distribution of the state's population. Even if two states have the same age-adjusted rates, the state with the relatively older population (as demonstrated by having a higher median age) will have higher crude rates because incidence or death rates for most cancers increase with increasing age.
  • The year 2000 Census population counts varied from previous population estimates for the years 1990-1999. Rates for geographic areas with small populations and for specific racial or ethnic populations appear to be affected to a greater degree and should be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, since corrections to the population denominators extrapolated from the 1990 census were larger in the late 1990s than earlier in the decade, rates calculated for the late 1990s may be subject to more change than rates calculated for the early 1990s.
  • Select the precision for rate calculations in the Other Options section. When the rate calculated for a small numerator (incidence count) is zero, you may increase the precision to reveal the rate by showing more numbers to the right of the decimal point.
Step 2. Select location:
Select the place of interest from one of the following lists:
  1. States in the US
  2. Regions include Divisions and States in the US
  3. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) in the US
  4. States and Puerto Rico
Click the round button to the right of the list's name to display the list.

Region

Regions and Divisions are multi-state groups. For regional data, you can group by Region, or you can select any combination of individual regions. You can also select multi-state divisions or any combination of individual states.
How? Hints:
  • The default is all values (the United States).
  • The Advanced mode let you easily pick several items from different parts of the list. Items are not selected until you click the "Move" button in Advanced mode. You may also enter values by hand, one code per line, in the Advanced mode. Use the Finder to see the correct code format. For example, 02 is the Alaska state code.
  • The "plus" symbol, "+" indicates that you can open the item, to see more items below it.
  • The results to a search are shown in blue, and indicated by ">".
Notes:  
  • Region is based on the person's legal state of residence at the time the case was submitted to the registry.
  • The Regions are identified by both name and codes in data extracts.
  • The United States is split into 4 regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West. To see the Divisions and States that comprise the regions, send a request for data grouped by Region, Division and State. Choose to "Show Zero Values" in order to also see the names of the states which have been omitted from this data set.

States / States and Puerto Rico

Pick the United States or any combination of individual areas desired. Be sure the button above the list of locations is set to your desired list.
How?   See Radio Button to pick your preferred list. See How do I select items from the list box? to select specific options in the list.
Notes:  

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Pick "The United States" or any combination of individual MSAs desired. Be sure the button for State above the list is set to your choice.
How?   See Radio Button to pick your preferred list. See How do I select items from the list box? to select specific options in the list.
Metropolitan statistical areas are defined by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The MSA definitions apply to all areas except the six New England states; for these states, the New England County Metropolitan Areas (NECMAs) are used. Metropolitan areas are named for a central city in the MSA or NECMA, may include several cities and counties, and may cross state boundaries. Further information about MSAs can be found on the U.S. Census Bureau website at www.census.gov; search for "Metropolitan Statistical Area."

Notes:  


Step 3. Select year and demographics:
Limit your data for any of the following data elements:
  1. Year - 1999 through 2018 (2005 - 2018 for Puerto Rico)
  2. Age Group
  3. Race - All, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, White, Other Races Combined (not available for Puerto Rico)
  4. Ethnicity - Hispanic, Non-Hispanic, Unknown (not available for Puerto Rico)
  5. Sex - All, Female, Male

Note: The Race and Ethnicity categories are not shown on the "Request Form" tab, when the round button is selected to show the "States and Puerto Rico" list in the "Select Locations" section on the "Request Form" tab.

Year

Pick any combination of years desired. Data are available for years 1999 - 2018 for the United States, and for 2005 - June 2018 for Puerto Rico.
How?   See How do I select items from the list box?.

Age Group

Select All ages or any combination of the individual age groups.

How?   See How do I select items from the list box?.
The following table shows the age group code values and descriptions, as specified for data export.
Code     Description
1 < 1 year
1-4 1-4 years
5-9 5-9 years
10-14 10-14 years
15-19 15-19 years
20-24 20-24 years
25-29 25-29 years
30-34 30-34 years
35-39 35-39 years
40-44 40-44 years
45-49 45-49 years
50-54 50-54 years
55-59 55-59 years
60-64 60-64 years
65-69 65-69 years
70-74 70-74 years
75-79 75-79 years
80-84 80-84 years
85+ 85+ years

Sex

Select All or any combination of values.
How?   See How do I select items from the list box?.

Note:

  • About genital system cancers:
    Note that genital system cancers and breast cancers are sex-specific. The rates and population denominators for calculating rates represent the associated sex for the cancer site. Cells representing data for the other sex are labeled "Not Applicable." See About Genital System Cancers for more information.

The following table shows the age group code values and descriptions, as specified for data export.

Code   Description
F Female
M Male

Race

Select All or any combination of values.

How?   See How do I select items from the list box?.
Notes:
  • Race categories are not available for Puerto Rico.
  • The "Other Races Combined and Unknown" racial category contains data for the "Other" and "Unknown" racial categories. Note that the previous releases of this data (1999-2005) included the "American Indian or Alaska Native" racial category within the "Other Races Combined" group.
  • The "All" races option sums only all racial categories included in the data:    "American Indian or Alaska Native," "Asian or Pacific Islander," "Black or African American," "White," and "Other Races Combined and Unknown," which aggregates the "Other" and "Unknown" racial categories.
  • The data are coded to Public Health Information Network (PHIN) standard code values. The following table shows the race code values and descriptions, as specified for data export.
    Code   Description
    1002-5    American Indian or Alaska Native
    A-PI    Asian or Pacific Islander
    2054-5    Black or African American
    2106-3    White
    2131-1    Other Races Combined and Unknown

Ethnicity

Select All or any combination of values.

How?   See How do I select items from the list box?.
Notes:
  • Ethnicity categories are not available for Puerto Rico.
  • Rates are not calculated for the "Unknown" category because population data are not available. The phrase "Not Applicable" is shown for in the rate and population cells.
  • Ethnicity data are available starting with the 1999-2006 release of USCS Cancer Incidence, and not available for the preceding vintages.
  • The data are coded to Public Health Information Network (PHIN) standard code values. The following table shows the race code values and descriptions, as specified for data export.
    Code   Description
    2135-2    Hispanic
    2186-5    Non-Hispanic
    UNK    Unknown


Step 4. Select cancers of interest:
Limit your data for any of the following data elements:
  1. Leading Cancer Sites
  2. Cancer Sites
  3. Childhood Cancers
Allow all ages for Childhood Cancer request

Click this check box when you have selected Childhood Cancers and you want your data to include all ages, or to include any selected ages other than persons who are less than 20 years old. If this box is not checked (the default), then the data results are limited to persons 19 years of age or less.

How?   See How do I change a "Check Box"?.

Childhood Cancers

Select either "All Invasive Childhood Cancers Combined" or "All Childhood Cancers, invasive and in situ," or select any combination of the other values.
How?   See How do I select items from the list box?.
Notes:
  • Choose Allow all ages for Childhood Cancer request when you wish to look at Childhood Cancers in persons older than 19 years of age.
  • International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) is based on tumor morphology.
  • Refer to International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) website (seer.cancer.gov) for more information.
  • See also International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) Group - Morphology - Topography Table.
  • Childhood Cancer is usually studied in children who are less than age 20.
  • "All Invasive Childhood Cancers Combined" are the summary or combined aggregate total for all invasive Childhood Cancers, except urinary bladder, which includes invasive and in situ. In situ breast cancers are not included in this aggregate category. Aggregate categories should not be shown in pie charts when subordinate categories are included in the same chart.
  • The archive 1999-2002 incidence data has a slightly different set of Childhood Cancers codes and titles than used in later data releases.

The following table shows the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) code values and descriptions used in the USCS incidence data, as specified for data export.

Code    Description
0    All Invasive Childhood Cancers Combined *
10    I Leukemia
11        I(a) Lymphoid leukemias
12        I(b) Acute myeloid leukemias
13        I(c) Chronic myeloproliferative diseases
14        I(d) Myelodysplastic syndrome and other myeloproliferative
15        I(e) Unspecified and other specified leukemias
20    II Lymphoma and reticuloendothelial neoplasms
21        II(a) Hodgkin lymphoma
22        II(b) Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
23        II(c) Burkitt lymphoma
24        II(d) Miscellaneous lymphoreticular neoplasms
25        II(e) Unspecified lymphoma
30    III CNS and misc intracranial and intraspinal neoplasms
31        III(a) Ependymomas and choroid plexus tumors
32        III(b) Astrocytomas
33        III(c) Intracranial and intraspinal embryonal tumors
34        III(d) Other gliomas
35        III(e) Other specified intracranial/intraspinal neoplasms
36        III(f) Unspecified intracranial and intraspinal neoplasms
40    IV Sympathetic nervous system tumors
41        IV(a) Neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroblastoma
42        IV(b) Other sympathetic nervous system tumors
50    V Retinoblastoma
60    VI Renal tumors
61        VI(a) Nephroblastoma and other nonepithelial renal tumors
62        VI(b) Renal carcinomas
63        VI(c) Unspecified malignant renal tumors
70        VII Hepatic tumor
71        VII(a) Hepatoblastoma
72        VII(b) Hepatic carcinomas
73        VII(c) Unspecified malignant hepatic tumors
80    VIII Malignant bone tumors
81        VIII(a) Osteosarcoma
82        VIII(b) Chrondosarcoma
83        VIII(c) Ewing tumor and related sarcomas of bone
84        VIII(d) Other specified malignant bone tumors
85        VIII(e) Unspecified malignant bone tumors
90    IX Soft-tissue sarcomas
91        IX(a) Rhabdomyosarcomas
92        IX(b) Fibrosarcomas, peripheral nerve & other fibrous
93        IX(c) Kaposi sarcoma
94        IX(d) Other specified soft-tissue sarcomas
95        IX(e) Unspecified soft-tissue sarcomas
100    X Germ-cell, trophoblastic and other gonadal neoplasms
101        X(a) Intracranial and intraspinal germ-cell tumors
102        X(b) Extracranial & extragonadal germ cell tumors
103        X(c) Malignant gonadal germ-cell tumors
104        X(d) Gonadal carcinomas
105        X(e) Other and unspecified malignant gonadal tumors
110    XI Carcinomas and other malignant epithelial neoplasms
111        XI(a) Adrenocortical carcinomas
112        XI(b) Thyroid carcinomas
113        XI(c) Nasopharyngeal carcinomas
114        XI(d) Malignant melanomas
115        XI(e) Skin carcinomas
116        XI(f) Other and unspecified carcinomas
120    XII Other and unspecified malignant neoplasms
121        XII(a) Other specified malignant tumors
122        XII(b) Other unspecified malignant tumors
253    Not classified by ICCC or in situ
254    In Situ Breast Cancer *
254F    Female Breast, In Situ *
254M    Male Breast, In Situ *
  *   Data for in situ Breast Cancers are listed separately from other Childhood Cancers and not included in the "All Invasive Childhood Cancers Combined" category.

Cancer Sites

Select either "All Sites, invasive and in situ" or "All Invasive Cancer Sites Combined," or select any combination of the other values.
How?   See How do I select items from the list box?.
Notes:
  • The primary cancer site is the organ of origin within the body where a given cancer occurs in an individual.
  • Information on primary site, behavior, and histology was coded according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Third Edition (ICD-O-3) and categorized according to the revised SEER recodes, which define standard groupings of primary cancer sites. Beginning with 2010 diagnoses, cases are coded based on ICD-O-3 updated for hematopoetic codes based on WHO Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues (2008).
  • About the "All Invasive Cancer Sites Combined" category:
    "All Invasive Cancer Sites Combined" are the summary or combined aggregate total for all invasive cancer sites, except urinary bladder, which includes invasive and in situ. Data for in situ breast cancers are listed separately from invasive cancers and are not included in the "All Invasive Cancer Sites Combined" nor in the "Male and Female Breast" cancer categories. The "Show Totals" control on the Table screen is disabled when aggregate values are displayed. Note that pies charts and data distributions in maps are affected by the inclusion of the "All Invasive Cancer Sites Combined" aggregate data.
  • About sex-specific breast and genital system cancers:
    Note that genital system cancers and breast cancers are sex-specific. The rates and population denominators for calculating rates represent the associated sex for the cancer site. Cells representing data for the other sex are labeled "Not Applicable."

    The Cancer Site sex-specific cancers are:

    Female Genital System
        Cervix Uteri
        Corpus Uteri
        Uterus, Not Otherwise Specified
        Ovary
        Vagina
        Vulva
        Other Female Genital Organs
    Male Genital System
        Prostate
        Testis
        Penis
        Other Male Genital Organs
    Breast cancers:
        Female Breast
        Male Breast
        Female Breast, In Situ
        Male Breast, In Situ

The following table shows the Cancer Site code values and descriptions, as specified for data export. Whenever applicable, the revised SEER Cause of Death Recodes are used.

Code                               Description
0    All Invasive Cancer Sites Combined *
20010-20100    Oral Cavity and Pharynx
20010        Lip
20020        Tongue
20030        Salivary Gland
20040        Floor of Mouth
20050        Gum and Other Mouth
20060        Nasopharynx
20070        Tonsil
20080        Oropharynx
20090        Hypopharynx
20100        Other Oral Cavity and Pharynx
21010-21130    Digestive System
21010        Esophagus
21020        Stomach
21030        Small Intestine
21041-21052        Colon and Rectum
21041-21049           Colon excluding Rectum
21041              Cecum
21042              Appendix
21043              Ascending Colon
21044              Hepatic Flexure
21045              Transverse Colon
21046              Splenic Flexure
21047              Descending Colon
21048              Sigmoid Colon
21049              Large Intestine, NOS
21051-21052           Rectum and Rectosigmoid Junction
21051              Rectosigmoid Junction
21052              Rectum
21060        Anus, Anal Canal and Anorectum
21071-21072        Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct
21071           Liver
21072           Intrahepatic Bile Duct
21080        Gallbladder
21090        Other Biliary
21100        Pancreas
21110        Retroperitoneum
21120        Peritoneum, Omentum and Mesentery
21130        Other Digestive Organs
22010-22060    Respiratory System
22010        Nose, Nasal Cavity and Middle Ear
22020        Larynx
22030        Lung and Bronchus
22050        Pleura
22060        Trachea, Mediastinum and Other Respiratory Organs
23000    Bones and Joints
24000    Soft Tissue including Heart
25010-25020    Skin excluding Basal and Squamous
25010        Melanoma of the Skin
25020        Other Non-Epithelial Skin
46    Male and Female Breast *
26000-Female        Female Breast *
26000-Male        Male Breast *
27010-27070    Female Genital System
27010        Cervix Uteri
27020        Corpus Uteri
27030        Uterus, not otherwise specified (NOS)
27040        Ovary
27050        Vagina
27060        Vulva
27070        Other Female Genital Organs
28010-28040    Male Genital System
28010        Prostate
28020        Testis
28030        Penis
28040        Other Male Genital Organs
29010-29040    Urinary System
29010        Urinary Bladder, invasive and in situ ¶
29020        Kidney and Renal Pelvis
29030        Ureter
29040        Other Urinary Organs
30000    Eye and Orbit
31010-31040    Brain and Other Nervous System
31010        Brain
31040        Cranial Nerves Other Nervous System
32010-32020    Endocrine System
32010        Thyroid
32020        Other Endocrine including Thymus
33011-33042    Lymphomas
33011-33012        Hodgkin lymphoma
33011           Hodgkin - Nodal
33012           Hodgkin - Extranodal
33041-33042        Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
33041           NHL - Nodal
33042           NHL - Extranodal
34000    Myeloma
35011-35043    Leukemias
35011        Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
35012        Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
35021        Acute Myeloid Leukemia
35022        Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
35041-35043        Other Leukemias
35013           Other Lymphocytic Leukemia
35031           Acute Monocytic Leukemia
35041           Other Acute Leukemia
35043           Aleukemic, Subleukemic and not otherwise specified (NOS)
35023           Other Myeloid/Monocytic Leukemia
36010    Mesothelioma
36020    Kaposi Sarcoma
37000    Miscellaneous
Breast-InSitu    In Situ Breast Cancer *
Breast-InSitu-Female        Female Breast, In Situ *
Breast-InSitu-Male        Male Breast, In Situ *
Notes:
  *   Data for in situ Breast Cancers are listed separately from Breast Cancers and not included in the "All Invasive Cancer Sites Combined" category. The in situ Breast Cancer categories are not included in the 1999-2002 Archive Cancer Incidence data.
  ¶   Urinary Bladder includes invasive and in situ.

Leading Cancer Sites (by Race and Sex)

Select either "All Leading Invasive Cancers Sites" or "All Leading Invasive Cancer Sites Combined," or select any combination of the other values.
How?   See How do I select items from the list box?.
Notes:
  • This list contains only the top or leading cancer sites, meaning the primary cancers with the highest incidence for each race and sex.
  • The primary cancer site is the organ of origin within the body where a given cancer occurs in an individual.
  • About All Sites Combined:
    "All Invasive Leading Cancer Sites Combined" are the summary or combined aggregate total for all invasive leading cancer sites, except urinary bladder, which includes invasive and in situ. In situ breast cancers are not included in the invasive cancers category. The "Show Totals" control on the Table screen is disabled when aggregate values are displayed. Note that pies charts and data distributions in maps are affected by the inclusion of the "All Leading Sites Combined" aggregate data.
  • About genital system cancers:
    Note that genital system cancers are sex specific, thus rates and population denominators represent the associated sex. Cells representing data for the opposite sex display a "Not Applicable" label. The following genital system cancers are included in the Leading Cancers Sites list:
    Cervix Uteri
    Corpus Uteri
    Ovary
    Prostate

The following table shows the Leading Cancers code values and descriptions, as specified for data export. Whenever applicable, the revised SEER Cause of Death Recodes dated March 1, 2018 are used.

Code                 Description
31010-31040    Brain and Other Nervous System 
26000    Breast 
27010    Cervix Uteri 
21041-21052    Colon and Rectum 
27020    Corpus Uteri 
21010    Esophagus 
21080    Gallbladder 
29020    Kidney and Renal Pelvis 
22020    Larynx 
35011-35043    Leukemias 
21071    Liver 
22030    Lung and Bronchus 
25010    Melanoma of the Skin 
34000    Myeloma 
33041-33042    Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma 
20010-20100    Oral Cavity and Pharynx 
27040    Ovary 
21100    Pancreas 
28010    Prostate 
21020    Stomach 
32010    Thyroid 
29010    Urinary Bladder, invasive and in situ  
   Notes:
*    Data for in situ Breast Cancers are listed separately from Breast Cancers and not included in the "all invasive cancer sites combined" category.


Step 5. Other options:
Export Results:    If checked, then query results are exported to a local file. More information on how to import this file into other applications can be found here.
Show Totals:    If checked totals and sub-totals will appear in the results table.
Show Zero Values:    If checked rows containing zero counts will appear in the results table. If unchecked, zero count rows are suppressed.
Precision:    Select the precision for rate calculations. When the rate calculated for a small numerator (incidence count) is zero, you may increase the precision to reveal the rate by showing more numbers to the right of the decimal point.
Data Access Timeout:    This value specifies the maximum time to wait for the data access for a query to complete. If the data access takes too long to complete, a message will be displayed and you can increase the timeout or simplify your request. If you can't complete a request using the maximum timeout, contact user support and we will try to run a custom data request for you.
Populations for Age-Adjusted Rates:    Select the standard population used to calculate age-adjusted rates. See Age-Adjusted Rates for more information.

Data Source Information

Incidence Data Sources:   

The United States Cancer Statistics are the official government statistics on cancer. These statistics include cancer registry data from CDC's National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, as well as mortality data from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. The statistics provide information on newly diagnosed cancer cases and cancer deaths for the whole U.S. population. For a list of all USCS contributors and partners, visit USCS Contributors.

Data are provided by:

Data for years 1999 - 2018 are provided in the 2020 data submission.

To learn more about the methods and source of these data please refer to:

Population Denominator Data Sources:   

United States:

The population estimates for the denominators of incidence rates are race-specific (American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, White), ethnicity-specific (Hispanic, Non-Hispanic) and sex-specific (Female, Male) county population estimates aggregated to the state or metropolitan area level. The population estimates are a slight modification of the annual time series of July 1 county population estimates (by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin) produced by the Population Estimates Program of the U.S. Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) with support from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) through an interagency agreement.

For more information on the Census Bureau's population estimates and documentation of the procedures used to develop them, see SEER - US Population Data.

In general, July 1 population estimates are used to calculate annual incidence and death rates because these estimates are considered to reflect the average population of a defined geographic area for a calendar year. However, the populations of many counties along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas were displaced in the fall of 2005 by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Census Bureau estimates that 203,937 persons were displaced from these four states in 2005.

Incidence data are not available for all states in all years, and the state populations are excluded from the national totals when the corresponding incidence data are not available. For more information, see Data Visualizations Tool Technical Notes.

Puerto Rico

Population estimates used in the calculation of Puerto Rico incidence and death rates are sex-specific, and are not available by race or ethnicity. Population estimates for Puerto Rico for years 2006-2009 are July 1st intercensal estimates of the resident population by sex and age for Puerto Rico, years 2000-2010, released by the U.S. Census Bureau Population Division in September 2011. Population estimates for Puerto Rico for years 2010-2018 are July 1st postcensal estimates of the resident population by sex and age for United States and Puerto Rico Commonwealth, years 2010-2019, released by the U.S. Census Bureau Population Division in June 2020: "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Single Year of Age and Sex for the United States, States, and Puerto Rico Commonwealth: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019." Please note that for the 2017 year, only half of the annual population estimate for Puerto Rico is used as the denominator to calculate incidence rates. Please see impact of Hurricane Maria in 2017 for more information.

Additional Information

Suggested Data Source Citations:    United States Cancer Statistics - Incidence: 1999-2018, WONDER Online Database. United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute; 2021.
Contact:    USCSData@CDC.gov.
Confidentiality:    The following rules are applied in order to protect personal privacy:
  • Data are suppressed if the figures represent fewer than 16 cases for the specific category.
  • Counts and rates are suppressed for cells at the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) level showing the "American Indian or Alaska Native" racial category, the "Asian or Pacific Islander" racial category, when the specific category's population for rate calculations is less than 50,000 persons.
  • Data are suppressed at the state and MSA level for certain race and ethnicity groups:
    1. American Indian or Alaska Native data are suppressed at the state and MSA level for Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, and New York;
    2. Asian or Pacific Islander data are suppressed at the state and MSA level for Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, and Kentucky;
    3. Hispanic data are suppressed at the state and MSA level for Delaware and Kentucky;
    4. Race by ethnicity data are suppressed at the state and MSA level for Kansas, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
    States decide whether to suppress data for specific race and ethnicity categories. The suppression criteria may vary in previous releases of these data.
See Also:   



This page last reviewed: Friday, October 01, 2021
This information is provided as technical reference material. Please contact us at cwus@cdc.gov.