Cancer Among Women*

Note: The numbers in parentheses are the rates per 100,000 persons.

Three most common cancers among women:

• Breast cancer (117.7)
• First among women of all racial and Hispanic origin populations.


• Lung cancer (54.2)
• Second among white (55.5) and American Indian/Alaska Native (35.3) women.
• Third among black (50.4), Asian/Pacific Islander (26.9), and Hispanic (26.7) women.


• Colorectal cancer (42.7)
• Second among black (50.6), Asian/Pacific Islander (32.1), and Hispanic (34.2) women.
• Third among white (41.6) and American Indian/Alaska Native women (28.7).

Leading causes of cancer death among women:

• Lung cancer (40.9)
• First among white (41.9), black (40.0), Asian/Pacific Islander (18.1), and American Indian/Alaska Native (30.2) women.
• Second among Hispanic women (14.4).


• Breast cancer (24.4)
• First among Hispanic women (15.7).
• Second among white (23.8), black (32.3), Asian/Pacific Islander (12.6), and American Indian/Alaska Native (15.0) women.


• Colorectal cancer (15.2)
• Third among women of all races and Hispanic origin (15.2).

*The combined rate for all races is presented when the ranking of cancer sites did not differ across race and ethnicity; race- or ethnicity-specific rates are presented when ranking differed by race or ethnicity.

Source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 2004 Incidence and Mortality. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2007.