Turning the Tide: Improving Cancer Outcomes Through Early Detection and Action

Blog | Genetic Health & Awareness

Cancer Touches Us All

Cancer doesn’t knock. It enters uninvited — in a diagnosis, a doctor’s voice, a moment that divides life into before and after.

Whether it's your parent, partner, child, or yourself, cancer casts a long and terrifying shadow. But in that shadow, we find something powerful: solidarity. We are not alone. And we are not powerless.

April: A National Call to Action

The White House has officially declared April as National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month, a critical move that reflects just how urgent — and actionable — this crisis is.

It’s not just a label. This movement is backed by 84 nonprofit and patient advocacy groups, all united to expand cancer screening, accelerate research, and improve access to lifesaving treatments.

At 23andMe, we proudly wear green in support. But more importantly, we work to support — through innovation, education, and empowerment.

Real Progress. Real Lives Saved.

Despite its staggering toll, cancer is not the same unbeatable disease it once was. Here’s what progress looks like:

• HPV vaccines have drastically reduced cervical cancer rates.

• Routine screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies have saved millions of lives.

• Immunotherapies like CAR-T cell therapy are rewriting what survival looks like for certain cancers.

• Lung cancer treatments have pushed mortality down — once unthinkable, now a reality.

We’re moving forward. But we’re not there yet.

The Unfinished Fight

Every year, over 1.8 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer, and more than 600,000 die. It remains the second leading cause of death, just behind heart disease.

The greatest weapon we have? Early detection.

The earlier cancer is found, the better the chance of survival. Yet too many people skip screenings, miss early signs, or don’t know they’re at risk until it’s too late.

The Role of Awareness — and You

You can’t fight what you can’t see. That’s why awareness is everything:

• Get screened regularly — mammograms, colonoscopies, Pap tests, and more.

• Know your family history — it’s one of the clearest windows into your risk.

• Explore genetic testing — tools like 23andMe’s Health + Ancestry kit can identify genetic variants linked to hereditary cancers.

• Spot lifestyle risks — smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, alcohol — and take proactive steps.