Home / The straight answer
Eight facts, eight sources
Is there a cure for cancer?
There is no single cure, because cancer is not a single disease. Below is what the National Cancer Institute, the CDC and the FDA say, word for word, with a plain line on what each means. We read every page on October 11, 2026.
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01
Cancer is not one disease.
Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. … There are more than 100 types of cancer.
National Cancer Institute What Is Cancer? Updated August 28, 2026
In plain wordsSo there is no single cure to find. Each type, and often each person, is treated differently.
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02
There are many treatments, often used together.
There are many types of cancer treatment. Some people with cancer have only one treatment. But most people have a combination of treatments, such as surgery with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
National Cancer Institute Types of Cancer Treatment No update date shown on the page
In plain wordsNCI lists surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, stem cell transplant, hyperthermia and photodynamic therapy.
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03
“Remission” and “cured” are different words.
Complete remission: The disappearance of all signs of cancer in response to treatment. This does not always mean the cancer has been cured.
National Cancer Institute NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms Definitions as published on the reading date
In plain wordsAsk your care team which word they are using about you, and what it means for follow-up.
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04
Millions of people are living after a cancer diagnosis.
As of January 2022, there were an estimated 18.1 million cancer survivors in the United States. The number of cancer survivors is projected to increase to 26 million by 2040.
National Cancer Institute Cancer Statistics Updated May 7, 2025
In plain wordsA survivor, in these numbers, is anyone living after a diagnosis, whether or not treatment has ended.
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05
Death rates have been falling for three decades.
In the United States, the overall cancer death rate has declined since the early 1990s.
National Cancer Institute Cancer Statistics Updated May 7, 2025
In plain wordsOut of every 100,000 people in the U.S., fewer die of cancer now than in the early 1990s.
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06
Some cancers can be found before symptoms.
Screening means checking your body for cancer before you have symptoms. … CDC supports screening for breast, cervical, colorectal (colon), and lung cancers as recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cancer Screening Tests January 16, 2025
In plain wordsWhich tests suit you, and when, is a question for your own doctor.
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07
Products sold as a “cure” can do harm.
Such products may appear harmless, but may cause harm by delaying or interfering with proven, beneficial treatments. Absent FDA approval or clearance for safety, they could also contain dangerous ingredients.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Products Claiming to "Cure" Cancer Are a Cruel Deception Content current as of 09/04/2020
In plain wordsThe FDA’s advice: discuss cancer treatment options with a licensed health care provider.
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08
New treatments are proven in clinical trials.
Clinical trial: A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease.
National Cancer Institute NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms Definitions as published on the reading date
In plain wordsIf you are curious about something new, the question to ask is whether a trial is right for you.
What this page is not. It is not advice about anyone’s own cancer, and it does not rank or recommend treatments. Your care team knows your case; the question lists help you ask them.
A person can help with what a website cannot.
This site explains and organises. For questions about your own cancer, talk with your care team. For a free, confidential conversation about cancer, NCI runs a phone line, chat and email.
1-800-422-6237 · Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET · English and Spanish · LiveHelp chat and email
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time. For an emergency, call 911.