Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with roughly 9,500 people diagnosed every day. But because the most frequent forms of skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma) are rarely fatal and aren’t tracked by major cancer registries, most official rankings start with the cancers below them. When those common skin cancers are set aside, breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men top the list, followed by lung cancer and colorectal cancer.
Why Skin Cancer Leads but Rarely Makes the List
Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are by far the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the country. The incidence of basal cell carcinoma increased by 145% between the late 1970s and 2010, and squamous cell carcinoma rose 263% over the same period. Despite those enormous numbers, the National Cancer Institute’s SEER program and most cancer statistics exclude them. The reasons are practical: there are simply too many cases to track comprehensively, and the vast majority are caught early, treated in a dermatologist’s office, and cured. They almost never spread to other organs.
Melanoma, the more dangerous form of skin cancer, is tracked separately. It ranks fifth among all cancers, with an estimated 112,000 new cases expected in 2026. So when you see a list of “the most common cancers,” it typically means the most common cancers excluding basal and squamous cell skin cancers, with melanoma counted on its own.
The Top Cancers in Men
Prostate cancer dominates. It accounts for about 30% of all new cancer diagnoses in men, with an estimated 333,830 new cases projected for 2026 alone. That makes it the single most commonly diagnosed cancer of any type in either sex. Lung cancer and colorectal cancer rank second and third in men.
One concerning trend: more men with prostate cancer are being diagnosed at advanced stages, where a cure is harder to achieve. Early-stage prostate cancer is highly treatable and often grows slowly enough that some men choose active monitoring rather than immediate treatment. Advanced-stage disease is a different situation, making screening conversations with a doctor more important as men age.
The Top Cancers in Women
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, representing about 32% of all female cancer diagnoses. Lung cancer and colorectal cancer follow in the same order as in men. Breast cancer incidence continues to climb, with a notable rise among women younger than 50. The reasons for that increase aren’t fully settled, but improved detection through screening and changes in reproductive patterns both play a role.
Incidence vs. Mortality: A Critical Difference
The most common cancer is not the most deadly one. That distinction belongs to lung cancer, which kills nearly 2.5 times more people than the second-ranking cause of cancer death, colorectal cancer. In 2025, lung cancer is projected to cause about 124,730 deaths, compared to 52,900 from colorectal cancer and 51,980 from pancreatic cancer.
Prostate and breast cancer, despite being diagnosed far more often, have much higher survival rates when caught at typical stages. Lung cancer is frequently diagnosed later, when it has already spread, which accounts for the gap between how common it is and how many lives it takes. Pancreatic cancer is relatively rare by comparison but exceptionally lethal, which is why it ranks third in deaths despite not appearing near the top of incidence lists.
Colorectal Cancer Is Rising in Younger Adults
Colorectal cancer has been increasing among people under 50, a trend that prompted a major shift in screening guidelines. The recommended age for a first colonoscopy dropped from 50 to 45 in recent years. Data from SEER registries between 2000 and 2015 show a steep jump in colorectal cancer diagnoses right at age 50, largely because that was when screening historically began. Many of those cancers detected at 50 were already present but hadn’t been looked for yet.
The increase in younger adults isn’t just a screening artifact, though. Rates have been genuinely climbing in people in their 30s and 40s across all regions of the country, in both men and women, and in both white and Black populations. Researchers are still working to pin down why, but obesity, dietary patterns, and changes in the gut microbiome are among the leading suspects. The practical takeaway: colorectal cancer is no longer something only older adults need to think about.
The Full Picture by the Numbers
In 2026, roughly 2.1 million Americans will receive a new cancer diagnosis, which works out to about 5,800 cases every day. An estimated 626,140 people will die from cancer that year. Here’s how the most common types stack up by new diagnoses:
- Prostate cancer: 333,830 estimated new cases (men only)
- Breast cancer: the leading diagnosis in women, representing 32% of female cases
- Lung and bronchus cancer: common in both sexes, and the leading cause of cancer death
- Colorectal cancer: third most common in both men and women
- Melanoma: approximately 112,000 new cases
These rankings have remained stable for years. What has changed is who is being diagnosed: younger women with breast cancer, younger adults with colorectal cancer, and men presenting with more advanced prostate cancer. The types haven’t shifted, but the patterns within them have.