A method in a memory that includes multiple analog memory cells arranged in a three-dimensional (3-D) configuration, includes identifying multiple groups of potentially-interfering memory cells that potentially cause interference to a group of target memory cells. Partial distortion components, which are inflicted by the respective groups of the potentially-interfering memory cells on the target memory cells, are estimated. The partial distortion components are progressively accumulated so as to produce an estimated composite distortion affecting the target memory cells, while retaining only the composite distortion and not the partial distortion components. The target memory cells are read, and the interference in the target memory cells is canceled based on the estimated composite distortion.