US Cancer Deaths Hit 25-Year Low

New data from the American Cancer Society indicates that the US cancer death rate has hit a 25-year low, primarily due to reduced smoking and improved early cancer detection and treatment.

From 1991 to 2016, the overall rate of cancer deaths fell continuously by 27%, translating to 2.6 million fewer cancer-related deaths. Rapid declines were seen in 4 major cancers—lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal.

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In men and women, the death rate due to cancer declined annually by 1.4% and 1.8%, respectively, from 2007 to 2016. Cancer incidence rates were found to be stable in women and had declined in men by approximately 2% per year from 2006 to 2015.

However, cancer remains the number-two killer in the United States, despite these figures. In 2019, experts project that 1,762,450 new cancer cases and 606,880 cancer deaths will occur.

Moreover, although racial gaps in cancer deaths have narrowed over time, socioeconomic gaps are increasing. Individuals living in poorer US counties were found to be disproportionately affected by the most preventable cancers, including cervical cancer and male lung and liver cancers.

The current prevalence of smoking and obesity was found to be 2-fold higher in poorer counties compared with the wealthiest ones. Poverty was also found to be associated with lower rates of cancer screening, later stage diagnosis, and lower odds of receiving optimal treatment.

American Cancer Society researchers say these areas are “low hanging fruit for locally focused cancer control efforts,” which can include increased basic health care access, smoking cessation programs, healthy living interventions, and cancer screening programs.

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2019 [Published online January 8, 2019]. CA. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21551.