Cancer research continues to change how cancer is prevented, detected, diagnosed, and treated. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Cancer Progress Report 2026 highlights major advances from the past year, while also pointing to important questions researchers are still working to answer.
The report comes at a time when overall cancer mortality in the United States continues to decline. Between 1991 and 2024, the overall cancer death rate fell by 35%, translating to more than 4.8 million fewer cancer deaths. At the same time, more people are living with and beyond cancer: an estimated 18.6 million people in the U.S. were living with a history of cancer as of January 2025.
For patients, these numbers reflect decades of progress in prevention, screening, early detection, and treatment. The 2026 report also highlights several areas that could shape the future of cancer care, including new targeted therapies, artificial intelligence (AI), cancer vaccines, liquid biopsies, and personalized medicine.
More people are living longer after a cancer diagnosis
One of the clearest signs of progress is improved survival, including among people with advanced cancer.
Across all cancer types, the five-year relative survival rate for people diagnosed with cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body more than doubled over the past three decades, from 17% in the mid-1990s to 36% among people diagnosed between 2016 and 2022.
It’s important to note that progress hasn’t been the same for every cancer. Survival also varies substantially depending on whether a cancer is localized or has spread to distant parts of the body. These differences are one reason researchers continue to focus on finding cancers earlier and developing treatments for cancers that remain difficult to treat.
New cancer treatments are bringing new options to patients
Between July 2025 and June 2026, the FDA approved 11 new cancer therapeutics, along with new uses for five previously approved cancer drugs. Several of the new approvals represented firsts for cancer treatment.
The FDA approved the first immune checkpoint inhibitor for ovarian cancer and the first CAR T-cell therapy for marginal zone lymphoma. These approvals illustrate how researchers are continuing to develop treatments that target specific features of cancer or use the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
For patients, this increasingly means that understanding the biology of a tumor, including its genetic and molecular features, can help doctors identify treatments that may be appropriate.
At the same time, many of these treatments are relatively new. The AACR report emphasizes that researchers still need to learn more about their long-term benefits and potential late effects, making ongoing follow-up important.
Early-onset cancer is an area researchers are watching closely
The report also highlights the growing number of cancers diagnosed in adults ages 18 to 49, known as early-onset cancers.
Gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal and stomach cancers, are among the cancers contributing to this trend. Researchers are studying possible explanations, including changes in obesity rates, physical activity, diet, and other environmental and lifestyle factors.
The rise in early-onset cancer also reinforces the importance of recognizing symptoms and understanding when cancer screening is appropriate. Screening recommendations are generally based on age and individual risk, so people with a family history or other risk factors may need to talk with their healthcare team about screening earlier than the general population.
What do GLP-1 drugs have to do with cancer?
GLP-1 receptor agonists, including drugs used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, have attracted interest beyond their effects on blood sugar and weight.
Some studies discussed in the AACR report have found associations between GLP-1 drug use and a lower risk of certain cancers. However, the findings aren’t consistent across all studies or cancer types.
Importantly, a review of 48 clinical trials involving more than 94,000 people didn’t find a significant reduction in overall obesity-related cancer risk. This means there isn’t enough evidence to say that GLP-1 drugs prevent cancer. Researchers are continuing to study how these medications may affect cancer risk and outcomes.
The question is also relevant for people who already have cancer. For example, the report highlights early research suggesting that GLP-1 receptor agonists could affect treatment response in some people with triple-negative breast cancer. These findings are preliminary and need further study.
If you’re taking a GLP-1 medication and have cancer or are undergoing cancer treatment, talk with your healthcare team before making changes to your medication.
AI is changing cancer research and care
Artificial intelligence is another major focus of the 2026 report.
Researchers are using AI to:
- Analyze tumor images
- Identify genetic changes
- Study interactions between cancer and immune cells
- Create detailed maps showing where cancer cells and immune cells are located within a tumor
AI is also being used to speed up drug discovery. The AACR report describes research in which an AI model screened hundreds of millions of compounds against thousands of human proteins, identifying millions of potential drug candidates for further investigation.
Cancer vaccines are moving into new territory
Cancer vaccines are another area of research highlighted in the report.
Unlike vaccines that prevent infections, therapeutic cancer vaccines are designed to train the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. Researchers are also developing vaccines intended to prevent cancer in people who have a high risk of developing certain cancers.
These approaches are still being studied, and most aren’t yet standard treatments. They demonstrate how researchers are increasingly trying to design therapies around the specific characteristics of a person’s cancer rather than treating every tumor of the same type in exactly the same way.
Liquid biopsies and other technologies could make cancer care more personalized
The AACR report also highlights liquid biopsy, which uses a blood sample to look for cancer-related material such as fragments of tumor DNA.
Because liquid biopsies are less invasive than traditional tissue biopsies, researchers are studying whether they can help detect cancer earlier, identify genetic changes that may guide treatment, and monitor how a cancer responds to therapy or returns after treatment.
These tests are an active area of research, and their role depends on the cancer type and clinical situation. They represent another step toward getting more detailed information about a cancer while reducing the need for invasive procedures.
Progress is real, but it hasn’t reached everyone equally
While the AACR report highlights significant advances, it also emphasizes that progress against cancer remains uneven.
Differences in cancer outcomes persist among populations because of factors that can include access to healthcare, screening, treatment, clinical trials, geography, socioeconomic conditions, and other structural barriers. The AACR’s 2026 Cancer Disparities Progress Report notes that some racial and ethnic disparities have narrowed, but significant differences in cancer incidence and mortality remain.
For patients, scientific progress matters most when people can actually access the screening, diagnostic testing, treatments, clinical trials, and supportive care that research makes possible.
What comes next?
The AACR Cancer Progress Report 2026 shows how years of cancer research have translated into longer survival, new treatments, and new ways of understanding cancer.
Many questions remain. Researchers are still working to develop better treatments for cancers with poor survival rates, understand the long-term effects of newer therapies, detect cancers earlier, reduce cancer disparities, and determine which emerging technologies will ultimately improve outcomes for patients.
For people living with cancer today, the most important takeaway is that cancer treatment continues to evolve. New therapies and technologies are expanding the options available for some patients, while clinical trials are testing approaches that could become tomorrow’s treatments.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Outcomes4Me is not acting as your caregiver, and any suggestions or guidance offered should not replace the advice of your healthcare provider or qualified medical professional. Always seek the guidance of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
