2020-2024 North Carolina Preliminary Cancer Incidence by Race and Ethnicity

Per 100,000 Population

Age-Adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Standard Population

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Site Non-Hispanic Whites Non-Hispanic African Americans Non-Hispanic American Indians Non-Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islanders Hispanics All Races and Ethnicities
Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate
Oral Cavity 7,015 14.4 1,168 8.9 64 10.4 165 9.6 207 6.0 8,702 12.8
Esophagus 2,436 4.7 437 3.3 12 ** 28 2.1 55 1.9 2,981 4.2
Stomach 2,510 5.1 1,166 9.4 37 5.6 101 6.8 319 9.6 4,168 6.2
Colon/Rectum 16,114 35.2 4,618 37.6 236 36.7 370 22.8 904 27.0 22,493 35.1
Liver 4,390 8.4 1,200 8.7 72 9.8 161 10.4 327 11.3 6,180 8.7
Gallbladder 375 0.7 221 1.8 * * 20 1.4 45 1.6 666 1.0
Pancreas 6,969 13.6 2,240 18.0 98 15.2 116 8.2 268 10.2 9,730 14.2
Larynx 1,744 3.4 576 4.3 29 4.5 16 1.0 49 1.5 2,423 3.4
Lung/Bronchus 32,388 61.0 7,627 58.5 453 64.1 409 28.6 664 26.7 41,686 58.6
Bone 312 0.9 76 0.7 7 ** 14 ** 51 1.0 467 0.9
Soft Tissue 1,263 2.9 401 3.5 13 ** 45 2.5 125 3.4 1,863 3.1
Melanoma (Skin) 18,859 41.1 92 0.8 32 5.3 16 1.1 190 6.2 19,578 30.3
Female Breast 42,459 177.8 12,776 180.5 496 145.6 1,202 127.9 2,471 134.6 59,973 175.6
Cervix Uteri 1,211 6.8 432 6.6 31 10.7 51 5.1 227 10.4 1,982 7.0
Corpus Uteri 6,666 26.1 2,298 30.0 83 23.9 186 19.4 504 26.2 9,828 27.0
Ovary 2,223 9.4 560 8.2 20 5.8 78 8.1 179 9.2 3,088 9.2
Prostate 29,960 117.9 12,888 216.0 451 134.9 400 61.6 1,233 89.7 45,837 135.4
Testes 966 6.5 81 1.6 10 ** 34 3.3 189 5.9 1,299 5.3
Bladder 10,693 20.7 1,510 12.4 69 10.4 122 9.2 237 10.4 12,742 18.6
Kidney 8,998 18.9 2,842 22.0 120 18.4 109 6.6 540 14.8 12,711 19.1
Endocrine 4,907 12.9 1,154 9.6 49 8.5 249 12.9 681 14.5 7,142 12.5
Multiple Myeloma 3,131 6.2 2,002 16.2 51 8.1 61 4.2 169 5.8 5,440 8.0
Leukemia 6,665 14.5 1,344 11.2 75 11.8 144 8.7 483 11.4 8,781 13.9
Brain & Other CNS (Includes benign brain) 9,215 20.9 2,248 18.8 111 17.8 224 13.8 676 17.2 12,583 20.2
Brain & Other CNS (Excludes benign brain) 2,882 6.7 495 4.2 43 7.1 56 3.2 206 4.8 3,710 6.0
Hodgkins Disease 852 2.5 341 2.9 11 ** 23 1.2 124 2.3 1,367 2.5
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma 8,703 18.0 1,547 12.8 72 10.8 192 12.1 525 16.1 11,128 17.0
Other Cancers 16,658 33.9 3,900 32.1 181 27.6 270 18.7 752 25.8 21,925 33.2
All Cancers 241,349 498.7 63,992 499.3 2,819 425.4 4,638 286.3 11,724 348.5 327,890 490.2

Produced by the NC Central Cancer Registry, 02/2026.

Updated 2024 Incidence rates will be available in January 2027.

Numbers are subject to change as files are updated.

*Cell sizes with fewer than five cases of cancer incidence are suppressed for confidentiality.

** Cancer incidence rates for cell sizes with fewer than 16 cases of cancer are suppressed as they are not stable.

Cases may not sum to totals due to unknown or other values.

Cancers of the urinary bladder and female breast include in situ cases.

Rates are calculated using vintage 2024 non-bridged population estimates for 2020-2024 (based on the 2020 census).


Hispanic ethnicity is independent of race. Hispanic ethnicity is determined by self-report and the National Hispanic Identification Algorithm.


Cancer incidence for American Indians is assumed to be underestimated. Yankaskas BC, Knight K, Fleg A, Rao, C. Misclassification of American Indian Race in State Cancer Data among Non-federally Recognized Indians in North Carolina. Journal of Registry Management. 2009;36(1):7-11.