Cancer is a major public health crisis. As of January 1, 2025, about 18.6 million people were living in the United States with a history of cancer, and this number is expected to rise to more than 22 million by 2035, according to the American Cancer Society's new report, "Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Statistics, 2025".
Cancer, if detected early, can be treated effectively and can improve the survival rates. The two components of early cancer detection, per the World Health Organisation, are early diagnosis (or downstaging) and screening. There are recommended screening tests for only 5 specific cancers, such as breast, lung, cervical, colorectal, and prostate cancers. But more than 70% of cancer deaths are caused by cancers without recommended screening tests.
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