Cancer Among Women

Note: The numbers in parentheses are the rates per 100,000 women in the United States.

Three Most Common Cancers Among Women

Breast cancer (117.7)

• First among women of all races and Hispanic origin populations.

Lung cancer (55.2)

• Second among white (56.6), black (50.9), and American Indian/Alaska Native (37.6) women.
• Third among Asian/Pacific Islander (26.9) and Hispanic (25.2) women.

Colorectal cancer (41.9)

• Second among Asian/Pacific Islander (32.2) and Hispanic (33.9) women.
• Third among white (40.8), black (49.4), and American Indian/Alaska Native women (24.5).

Leading Causes of Cancer Death Among Women

Lung cancer (40.6)

• First among white (41.6), black (40.2), Asian/Pacific Islander (18.2), and American Indian/Alaska Native (29.2) women.
• Second among Hispanic women (14.4).

Breast cancer (24.0)

• First among Hispanic women (15.1).
• Second among white (23.3), black (32.9), Asian/Pacific Islander (12.3), and American Indian/Alaska Native (15.3) women.

Colorectal cancer (14.6)

• Third among women of all races and Hispanic origin populations.

Note: 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: 1999–2005 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.