In 2012, a significant report was released from the American Cancer Society which showed that major strides are being made in the right against cancer in the United States. An estimated 12 million people in the United States have cancer, with 2015 projections being an estimated 1.7 million people. There's no doubt we're still working towards a cure and understanding this disease much deeper. One key part of cancer is prevention and that begins with awareness and education. The more you understand about common cancers and your individual risk factors, the better equipped you'll be to fight this disease. 

Most Common Cancers

1. Skin Cancer: Still the number one cancer in American, there are two main types. The first is non-melanoma, the more common form, with over 2 million cases. Most of these forms are curable. Melanoma, which we spoke a lot about during the month of May is the more serious type of skin cancer. It's attributed to over 75% of all skin cancer deaths. 

2. Lung Cancer: Considered on of the deadliest cancers for both men and women, almost 230K cases are diagnosed each year. This disease accounts for about 28% of all cancer deaths. The survival rate if detected early (or in a localized state) is 53%. If found later, 5-year survival rates drop to 16%. 

3. Prostate Cancer: It's estimated that 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Over 233,000 men are diagnosed each year with almost 30,000 dying from this prominent disease. Most people don't know that prostate cancer is as common in men as breast cancer is in women and screening and early detection are key. Beginning at the age of 40, all men should get a baseline PSA blood test. 

4. Breast Cancer:  Almost 230,000 cases of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed each year. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, next to skin cancer. U.S. breast cancer cases are expected to rise 50% by the year 2030. 

5. Colon Cancer: Colon cancer is the third most common cause of cancer in both men and women. An estimated 104,000 new cases are diagnosed and almost 41,000 for rectal cancer. 

6. Kidney or renal Cancer: The ACS estimated that almost 65,000 new cases of kidney cancer will be diagnosed. Tobacco is a major risk factor for the development of kidney cancer and obesity and high blood pressure are main proponents as well. 

7. Bladder Cancer: A common symptom of this is blood found in the urine. Almost 74,000 new cases are diagnosed but this disease is highly curable. Surgery is usually the first line of defense for most cases. 

8. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Swollen lymph nodes are the most common symptoms of this cancer. This disease has 30 different types and almost 71,000 new cases are diagnosed. 

9. Thyroid Cancer: 3 our of 4 cases occur in women. It's been deemed as the fastest-increasing cancer among both men and women. Symptoms include a lump in the neck. Almost 57,000 new cases are diagnosed and almost 1800 deaths per year. 

10. Endometrial Cancer: Or also called cancer of the uterine corpus occurs in the uterus lining (or endometrium). Abnormal bleeding is an early sign and an estimated 48,000 new cases are diagnosed. Most treatments start with surgery but radiation and chemotherapy are also common.

The Deadliest Cancers

When the War on Cancer was declared in the early 1970s, the average five-year relative survival rate for all cancers was only 50 percent. Due to advances in research over these last decades, mostly funded by the National Institute of Health and National Cancer Institute, we've seen an increase in the five-year survival rate now being 68%. However, there are a number of cancers that still fall below 50 percent survival. These cancers are considered the "deadliest," cancers. Pancreas: 7%

• Liver: 17%
• Lung: 17%
• Esophagus: 18%
• Stomach: 28%
• Myeloma: 47%
• Brain: 35%
• Ovary: 45%