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

Urge Congress to support breast & cervical cancer screenings

Since 1991, the National Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program has provided more than 15 million breast and cervical cancer screenings to those who need them most. Before the end of the year, Congress must pass legislation that supports this program. Cancer can't wait.

Contact your members of Congress today.
National

Let's save more lives by reducing obesity, improving nutrition and increasing physical activity

Being overweight or obese is the number one cancer risk for people who don't use tobacco. 

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Latest Updates

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Great American Smokeout Shines Light on Opportunities for New York Lawmakers to Act to Prevent Smoking-Related Deaths

November 19, 2024
New York

Cancer patients, survivors and advocates are marking the American Cancer Society's 48th annual Great American Smokeout ® by calling on elected officials across the state to do more to limit the toll of tobacco in New York.

35 Patient, Provider and Physician Groups File Amicus Brief Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to Protect Lifesaving Preventive Care Without Patient Cost Sharing  

October 21, 2024
National

Today 35 organizations, representing millions of patients with serious health conditions and thousands of health care professionals, filed an amicus curiae, or “friend-of-the-court,” brief in the case of Braidwood v. Becerra at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Arizona Cancer Advocates Applaud Governor for Supporting Newly Unveiled Cancer Control Plan

August 9, 2024
Arizona

Advocates with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) commend Governor Katie Hobbs for supporting the newly unveiled five-year Arizona Cancer Control Plan. The plan includes policy provisions that pursue additional resources for cancer patient navigation and cancer screenings as well as reinstating the historical leadership for the state in tobacco control policies.

Senate Committee Considers FY25 Appropriations Bill with Significant Increases for Cancer Research Funding

August 2, 2024
National

This week, the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations considered and approved its draft FY25 appropriations bill that includes significant increases for the NIH, increases for NCI and an increase for CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control.

Cancer Prevention Resources

Just the Facts: Breast Cancer Disparities

October 6, 2023

Approximately 1 in 8 women (13%) will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in her lifetime, and 1 in 39 women (3%) will die from breast cancer. In 2023, an estimated 297,790 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and 43,170 will die from the disease. Despite the fact that U.S. breast cancer death rates have been declining for several decades, not all people have benefited equally from the advances in prevention, early detection, and treatments that have helped achieve these lower rates.

ACS CAN Supports the “Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act” (H.R. 4286)

September 15, 2023

Critical steps are needed to increase lung cancer screening rates across the country and also increasing to access comprehensive cessation benefits, especially among individuals with limited incomes that are disproportionately burdened by lung cancer.

ACS CAN supports H.R. 4286 to eliminate barriers and increase access to lung cancer screening and expand coverage for tobacco cessation.

ACS CAN Supports the Find It Early Act (H.R.3086)

September 15, 2023

Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer among women in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer death among women after lung cancer. Ensuring breast cancer screening services ― including diagnostic and follow-up testing ― are covered without no cost-sharing is essential to increasing access and expanding coverage of breast cancer screening.

ACS CAN supports H.R. 3086 to increase access to no cost breast cancer screening, diagnostic and follow-up testing.