What are the top cancer-fighting companies?

The largest companies developing cancer drugs include Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY), Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Pfizer. Other companies, such as BeOne Medicines, also market successful cancer therapies. In addition, other companies, including Guardant Health and Illumina, develop cancer screening tests.

Are cancer stocks a good investment?

Some cancer stocks can be attractive options for investors. Note, though, that the stocks of clinical-stage companies developing cancer drugs can be risky. Larger drugmakers focusing on cancer can also face risks, including patent expirations.

What companies are creating medication for cancer?

Many companies both large and small are developing cancer medications. They include big drugmakers such as Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer, as well as other biopharmaceutical companies such as BeOne Medicines.

Are cancer stocks an ethical investment?

Some investors could be leery of profiting from the stocks of companies that market cancer drugs and screening tests. However, the products developed by these companies have improved the health of many patients and saved many lives.

What is the best cancer stock?

There's no "best" cancer stock for all investors. A cancer stock that's ideal for one investor might not be a good fit for another because of different investment objectives and risk tolerances.

Do cancer stocks pay dividends?

Many cancer stocks do pay dividends, but not all. Generally speaking, large pharmaceutical companies that develop cancer drugs are most likely to have dividend programs.

Can small-cap cancer stocks offer higher growth potential?

Yes, small-cap cancer stocks can offer significant growth potential. However, they are also usually riskier than large-cap and mid-cap cancer stocks.

Top Cancer Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

Learn about some of the leading cancer stocks in the U.S. stock market this year.

By Keith Speights – Updated Feb 12, 2026 at 6:19 PM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Cancer treatment costs in the U.S. are predicted to rise from $200B in 2020 to more than $245B by 2030.
Investors should consider cancer-focused stocks like Guardant Health and Pfizer for potential returns.
Diversification and evaluating financial health are crucial when investing in volatile cancer stocks.

Despite significant progress, cancer continues to be the second-leading cause of death in the U.S. More than 2 million new cases of cancer are likely to be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. More than 618,000 deaths are expected from cancer in 2025.

There's also a huge financial cost that's growing rapidly. In 2020, treating cancer in the U.S. cost roughly $200 billion. By 2030, the total is projected to increase to more than $245 billion.

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Two scientists looking at a monitor showing brain scans. — Image source: Getty Images.

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Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Current price	Market cap	Industry
Guardant Health (NASDAQ:GH)	$93.90	$12.3 billion	Healthcare Providers and Services
Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN)	$134.46	$20.6 billion	Life Sciences Tools and Services
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)	$27.63	$157.2 billion	Pharmaceuticals
BeOne Medicines Ag (NASDAQ:ONC)	$316.58	$35.1 billion	Biotechnology

Data as of Mar 2, 2026. Showing 4 of 4 tickers.

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1. Guardant Health

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NASDAQ: GH

Guardant Health

Today's Change

(-4.15%) $-4.07

Current Price

$93.90

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$12B

Day's Range

$92.09 - $96.98

52wk Range

$34.88 - $120.74

Volume

1.9M

Avg Vol

Gross Margin

64.46%

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Guardant Health (GH -4.15%) stands out as a pioneer in liquid biopsy, a blood test that detects tiny amounts of DNA that have broken away from tumor cells.

The company first achieved success with its Guardant360 product, a liquid biopsy used to help determine the appropriate therapy for cancer patients. The Guardant360 CDx product is the first liquid biopsy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for all advanced solid tumors. It's also used as a companion diagnostic to identify patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who could potentially benefit from treatment with AstraZeneca's (NASDAQ:AZN) Tagrisso, Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ +2.22%) Rybrevant, or Amgen's (AMGN +2.38%) Lumakras.

Guardant Health also offers a tissue biopsy product, Guardant360 TissueNext, designed to be ordered with the Guardant360 CDx test. Its Guardant360 Response test helps doctors determine if a cancer therapy is working with patients. In addition, Guardant Health markets Guardant Reveal, the first blood-only test that can detect residual and recurrent cancer in less than two weeks without requiring a tissue biopsy.

The company's total addressable market in cancer treatment selection and recurrence monitoring is about $30 billion per year. However, Guardant Health has a much larger market opportunity of $50 billion annually in the U.S. alone for early-stage cancer detection.

Guardant Health won U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Shield blood test for screening colorectal cancer in July 2024. The company hopes to expand Shield to include lung cancer as the next step in its goal to have a multicancer early-stage test.

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2. Illumina

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NASDAQ: ILMN

Illumina

Today's Change

(5.54%) $7.06

Current Price

$134.46

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$21B

Day's Range

$127.00 - $134.76

52wk Range

$68.70 - $155.53

Volume

Avg Vol

Gross Margin

67.08%

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Gene-sequencing giant Illumina (ILMN +5.71%) is also a major competitor in the cancer therapy selection market. Its TruSight companion diagnostic tests are used by several biopharmaceutical companies, including Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY +2.08%) and Merck (MRK +3.48%).

Illumina spun off Grail (GRAL -8.30%), which develops liquid biopsy products, in June 2024. However, the company still owns a 14.5% stake in Grail.

Arguably, the greatest value provided by Illumina in the fight against cancer is the use of its gene-sequencing systems by researchers around the world. More than 22,000 Illumina systems are installed worldwide.

Of course, genomic sequencing isn't just important in cancer research. Illumina's technology is used in a wide range of areas, including researching genetic and infectious diseases, non-invasive prenatal testing, drug discovery, and proteomics (the large-scale study of proteins).

3. Pfizer

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NYSE: PFE

Pfizer

Today's Change

(1.94%) $0.53

Current Price

$27.63

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$157B

Day's Range

$27.09 - $27.66

52wk Range

$20.91 - $27.94

Volume

1.2M

Avg Vol

48M

Gross Margin

66.23%

Dividend Yield

6.22%

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Pfizer (PFE +1.94%) currently markets four blockbuster oncology therapies -- breast cancer drug Ibrance, prostate cancer drug Xtandi, bladder cancer drug Padcev, and blood cancer drug Adcetris. The company also has eight other cancer drugs that generate annual sales of at least $100 million.

Cancer is also a top focus for Pfizer's pipeline. The drugmaker has more than 50 oncology programs in clinical testing. While several of these programs are targeting additional indications for drugs that have already been approved, Pfizer also has promising new candidates, including experimental breast cancer drug atirmociclib.

The pharma giant has also used its large cash stockpile for key acquisitions that bolster its oncology prospects. For example, Pfizer acquired Trillium Therapeutics in 2021 to obtain its blood cancer programs and acquired Seagen, a leader in developing antibody-drug conjugates targeting cancer, in 2023.

Pfizer's success doesn't hinge entirely on its oncology products and pipeline, though. For example, the company is a leader in the migraine therapy market, with Nurtec ODT delivering strong sales growth.

4. BeOne Medicines

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NASDAQ: ONC

BeOne Medicines Ag

Today's Change

(-1.80%) $-5.79

Current Price

$316.58

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$35B

Day's Range

$314.23 - $323.02

52wk Range

$196.45 - $385.22

Volume

27K

Avg Vol

276K

Gross Margin

85.28%

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Cancer stocks FAQ

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About the Author

Keith Speights is a contributing Motley Fool healthcare analyst covering publicly traded companies across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, technology, and marijuana. Prior to The Motley Fool, Keith was CEO of Constant Care Technology, a healthcare technology company; vice president of American HealthTech, a healthcare software company; and a director of operations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, a health insurer. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State University.

TMFFishBiz

Keith Speights has positions in Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Guardant Health, Merck, Pfizer, and Summit Therapeutics. The Motley Fool recommends Grail, Illumina, and Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.