Gallup: Nearly 1 in 10 report cancer
Gallup’s latest national polling, released Nov. 24, 2025, finds nearly one in ten U.S. adults report a lifetime cancer diagnosis — the highest level in nearly two decades of tracking. The two‑year averaged data show 21.5% of adults 65+ have been told they had cancer (up 3.4 pp since 2008–09), men slightly exceed women (9.8% vs 9.6%), and rising prevalence reflects longer survival and an aging population alongside increases in some obesity‑linked cancers.
Cancer and Public Health
Polling and Surveys
📌 Key Facts
- Gallup sample: 16,946 U.S. adults across three waves in 2025; margin of error ±0.5 percentage points.
- Lifetime diagnosis near 10% overall; 21.5% among ages 65+, nearly 9% among ages 45–64.
- Men 9.8% vs women 9.6% reporting a lifetime diagnosis; men saw larger declines in lung/prostate mortality.
- Gallup notes rates hovered just above 7% through 2014–15 before climbing to a new high.
- ALA’s Harold Wimmer praised research gains but warned cuts to CDC/NIH programs are 'devastating.'