Many Cancer Rates Continue to Decline

The "Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975–2007" found continued declines in many cancer rates.

Rates of death in the United States from all cancers for men and women continued to decline between 2003 and 2007, the newest reporting period available. The findings are from the latest "Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer," coauthored by researchers from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the National Cancer Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Cancer Society.

Report Highlights

• For the first time since cancer statistics have been monitored, lung cancer death rates (the number of people who die from cancer out of every 100,000 people) decreased in women, more than a decade after rates began dropping in men.
• The incidence rates (the number of people who get cancer out of every 100,000 people) for all types of cancers combined decreased, on average, a bit less than 1% per year between 2003 and 2007.
• Cancer deaths have been dropping steadily since the early 1990s among both men and women.
• Childhood cancer incidence rates continued to increase slightly. Death rates in this age group (birth to age 19) continue to decrease.
• The Special Feature section of the report highlights brain tumors. The authors note that non-malignant tumors make up two-thirds of all adult brain tumors and one-third of childhood brain tumors.

Cancer Among Men, 2003–2007

• Incidence rates decreased for lung, colorectal, mouth and throat, stomach, and brain (malignant only) cancers.
• Incidence rates increased for kidney, pancreas, and liver cancers, and melanoma of the skin.
• Black men had the highest incidence and death rates.

Cancer Among Women, 2003–2007

• Incidence rates decreased for breast, lung, colorectal, uterine, cervical, bladder, and mouth cancers.
• Incidence rates increased for kidney, pancreas, and thyroid cancers, leukemia, and melanoma of the skin.
• White women had the highest incidence rates, but black women had the highest death rates.

Citation

Kohler BA, Ward E, McCarthy BJ, Schymura MJ, Ries LAG, Eheman C, Jemal A, Anderson RA, Ajani UA, Edwards BK. Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975–2007, featuring tumors of the brain and other nervous system. Journal of the National Cancer Institute May 4, 2011.

Data Source

U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2007 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2010.

by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention