Though renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 2% of global cancer diagnoses and deaths, it has more than doubled in incidence in the developed world over the past half-century, and today is the ninth most common neoplasm in the United States (US). While North America and Western Europe have the highest disease burden (with the Belarus highest in incidence), Latin America, Asia and Africa are projected to see an increase in incidence as nation's transition to a Western lifestyle. Most cases of RCC are discovered incidentally on imaging, and survival is highly dependent on the stage at diagnosis, with the metastatic disease having only a 12% 5-year survival rate. Two-thirds of RCC diagnoses are made in men, and the average age of diagnosis in the US is 64. Those with genetic predispositions, namely von Hippel-Lindau disease, tend to be diagnosed 20 years earlier. RCC has a greater incidence among Hispanics and Native Americans, and a lower survival rate among African Americans in the US. Modifiable risk factors for RCC include smoking, obesity, poorly-controlled hypertension, diet and alcohol, and occupational exposures. Prevention strategies aimed at improving survival and reducing disparities include addressing lifestyle factors and access to regular healthcare among underserved populations and in developing nations, as well as more rigorous imaging guidelines to detect RCC at an earlier stage. A stronger understanding of global RCC epidemiology can facilitate prevention efforts, especially in developing nations and underserved communities where disease burden is predicted to rise in the coming decades.

Based on the latest GLOBOCAN data, bladder cancer accounts for 3% of global cancer diagnoses and is especially prevalent in the developed world. In the United States, bladder cancer is the sixth most incident neoplasm. A total of 90% of bladder cancer diagnoses are made in those 55 years of age and older, and the disease is four times more common in men than women. While the average 5-year survival in the US is 77%, the 5-year survival for those with metastatic disease is a measly 5%. The strongest risk factor for bladder cancer is tobacco smoking, which accounts for 50–65% of all cases. Occupational or environmental toxins likewise greatly contribute to disease burden (accounting for an estimated 20% of all cases), though the precise proportion can be obscured by the fact bladder cancer develops decades after exposure, even if the exposure only lasted several years. Schistosomiasis infection is the common cause of bladder cancer in regions of Africa and the Middle East and is considered the second most onerous tropical pathogen after malaria. With 81% of cases attributable to known risk factors (and only 7% to heritable mutations), bladder cancer is a prime candidate for prevention strategies. Smoking cessation, workplace safety practices, weight loss, exercise and schistosomiasis prevention (via water disinfection and mass drug administration) have all been shown to significantly decrease the risk of bladder cancer, which poses a growing burden around the world.

Melanoma accounts for 1.7% of global cancer diagnoses and is the fifth most common cancer in the US. Melanoma incidence is rising in developed, predominantly fair-skinned countries, growing over 320% in the US since 1975. However, US mortality has fallen almost 30% over the past decade with the approval of 10 new targeted or immunotherapy agents since 2011. Mutations in the signaling-protein BRAF, present in half of cases, are targeted with oral BRAF/MEK inhibitor combinations, while checkpoint inhibitors are used to restore immunosurveillance likely inactivated by UV radiation. Although the overall 5-year survival has risen to 93.3% in the US, survival for stage IV disease remains only 29.8%. Melanoma is most common in white, older men, with an average age of diagnosis of 65. Outdoor UV exposure without protection is the main risk factor, although indoor tanning beds, immunosuppression, family history and rare congenital diseases, moles, and obesity contribute to the disease. Primary prevention initiatives in Australia implemented since 1988, such as education on sun-protection, have increased sun-screen usage and curbed melanoma incidence, which peaked in Australia in 2005. In the US, melanoma incidence is not projected to peak until 2022–2026. Fewer than 40% of Americans report practicing adequate protection (sun avoidance from 10 am–4 pm and regular application of broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF > 30). A 2-4-fold return on investment is predicted for a US sun-protection education initiative. Lesion-directed skin screening programs, especially for those at risk, have also cost-efficiently reduced melanoma mortality.

Non-Hodgins’s lymphoma (NHL) is the most common hematological malignancy worldwide, accounting for nearly 3% of cancer diagnoses and deaths. NHL is the seventh most prevalent cancer and has the sixth highest mortality among cancers in the US. NHL accounts for 4% of US cancer diagnoses, and incidence has increased 168% since 1975 (while survival has improved 158%). NHL is more common among men, those >65 years old, and those with autoimmune disease or a family history of hematological malignancies. NHL is a heterogenous disease, with each subtype associated with different risk factors. Marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) is strongly associated with Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, while peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is most associated with celiac disease. Occupational exposures among farm workers or painters increases the risk of most of the common subtypes. Prior radiation treatment, obesity, and smoking are most highly associated with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), while breast implants have been rarely associated with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Infection with Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) is strongly associated with endemic Burkitts lymphoma. HIV and human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8), is predisposed to several subtypes of DLBCL, and human T-cell lymphoma virus (HTLV-1) is a causative agent of T-cell lymphomas. Obesity and vitamin D deficiency worsen NHL survival. Atopic diseases and alcohol consumption seem to be protective against NHL.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of global cancer incidence and mortality, accounting for an estimated 2 million diagnoses and 1.8 million deaths. Neoplasms of the lungs are the second most common cancer diagnosis in men and women (after prostate and breast cancer, respectively). With increasing access to tobacco and industrialization in developing nations, lung cancer incidence is rising globally. The average age of diagnosis is 70 years old. Men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer, which largely reflects differences in tobacco consumption, although women may be more susceptible due to higher proportions of epidermal growth factor receptor mutations and the effects of oestrogen. African American men in the US are at the highest risk of lung cancer. Family history increases risk by 1.7-fold, with a greater risk among first-degree relatives. Tobacco smoking is the greatest preventable cause of death worldwide, accounting for up to 90% of lung cancer cases, and continued consumption is projected to increase global cancer incidence, particularly in developing nations such as China, Russia, and India. Second-hand smoke among children and spouses has likewise been implicated. Radon from natural underground uranium decay is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the developed world. Occupational hazards such as asbestos and environmental exposures such as air pollution, arsenic, and HIV and Tb infection have all been implicated in lung carcinogenesis, while cannabis smoking, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and COVID-19 have been hypothesized to increase risk.