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Available Cancer Prevalence Statistics
Pre-calculated prevalence statistics are available from the following sources:
- SEER*Explorer has graphs and tables for many cancer sites by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and data type
- Additional prevalence statistics are available through the Cancer Query System: Cancer Prevalence Database
- The NCI's Office of Cancer Survivorship provides additional interpretation and a graphical presentation of Estimated U.S. Prevalence Counts.
- The SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2017 and Previous Versions has previously published prevalence statistics.
Types of Prevalence Estimates
The most recent estimates provided by SEER are for January 1, 2022 prevalence.
- Complete U.S. prevalence estimated counts.
- The U.S. prevalence counts were estimated by applying SEER limited-duration prevalence proportions to the U.S. populations and adjusting the limited-duration counts to account for survivors diagnosed prior to 1992, using the completeness index method. To account for demographic differences between the U.S. and SEER, U.S. counts were calculated as follows:
- Age at Prevalence - All Ages was obtained by summing the 19 individual age groups.
- Sex - Both Sexes was obtained by summing Male and Female.
- Race/Ethnicity - All Races was obtained by summing White and Unknown, Black, and Other. Total Hispanics was obtained by summing the Non-white Hispanic and Other (White and Unknown) Hispanic.
- Limited-duration prevalence estimates (percents and counts).
- Limited-duration prevalence estimates were calculated using the counting method using SEER data. Because the number of registries that participate with SEER has changed over the years, different limited-duration prevalence statistics were calculated for different groups of SEER registries.
- SEER 8 limited-duration prevalence percentages for race (All races, Whites, Blacks). This includes 47-year limited-duration prevalence, as well as partitioned into prevalence estimates for people diagnosed 0 to < 5, 5 to < 10, 10 to < 15, 15 to < 20, 20 to < 25, 25 to < 30, 30 to <35, 35 to <40, and 40 to <47 years prior to January 1, 2022.
- SEER 12 prevalence percentages by race/ethnicity (All races, Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islanders, Hispanic). 29-year limited-duration prevalence, as well as partitioned into prevalence estimates for people diagnosed 0 to < 5, 5 to < 10, 10 to <15, 15 to <20, and 20 to <25 years prior to January 1, 2022.
- U.S. limited-duration prevalence counts are available from SEER 12 by race/ethnicity (All races, Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islanders, Hispanic).
Limitations for using cancer registry data to estimate prevalence
- SEER prevalence proportions may not be representative of U.S. prevalence. Projecting race- and age-specific SEER prevalence proportions to the U.S. population does not account for other differences between SEER and U.S., such as socioeconomic status, that may affect prevalence proportions.
- Immigration and emigration of cancer patients may cause biases in the estimation of prevalence. Cancer registries only include cancers which were diagnosed while the person was in residence in the registry catchment area. If a person is diagnosed with cancer in a registry area and then moves, follow-up for vital status (i.e. dead, alive) is tracked no matter where they move. For example:
- If a person moved into a registry area with a prior diagnosis of cancer, this cancer would not be included in the registry, but should be included in the prevalence statistics.
- If a person with cancer moved out of a registry area they would be included in the registry, but should not be included in the prevalence estimates.