American Cancer Society Report Indicates Increased Bladder Cancer Cases in 2021

The release of the annual American Cancer Society’s (ACS’s) Facts and Figures report indicates that among an expected decline in some cancers, cases of bladder cancer are expected to increase in 2021.

According to the ACS, an estimated 83,720 people in the United States will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2021, an increase of approximately 3% compared to the prior year. That means that on average, 228 people will hear the devastating words, “You have bladder cancer,” each day this year. An estimated 17,000 will not survive the disease and there are thought to be more than 600,000 people living with bladder cancer in the United States, more than the population of the state of Wyoming.

“We celebrate the decline in certain cancer types as well as the progress against them,” said Andrea Maddox-Smith, CEO of the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN). “The ACS report is a stark reminder that while bladder cancer is still one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States, rising expected case numbers in 2021 speaks to the urgent need for more and better treatments and expanded assistance for bladder cancer patients.”

BCAN offers free education and support resources for bladder cancer and has funded more than $5 million in bladder cancer research with an expected additional $800,000 to be awarded in 2021.These critical resources would not be possible without the support of generous donors. BCAN is grateful to all those who have joined and supported the organization in the fight against this disease.