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# US Sees Decline in Cancer Death Rates
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/us_sees_decline_in_cancer_death_rates_0807100815/
- Published: 2010-07-08T08:15:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T12:53:49.000Z
- Description: The American Cancer Society says cancer death rates fell about 2 percent a year among men and 1.5 percent among women from 2001 to 2006, crediting smoking cessation, better treatment and earlier detection. Lung cancer remains the leading cancer killer for both sexes.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Diet, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

The United States has seen a decline in the cancer death rates with big drops in leading cancer cancer killers like colon and lung cancer, Reuters cited the American Cancer Society as saying on Wednesday.

On average, the death rates for all cancers fell by 2 percent each year from 2001 to 2006 among men and 1.5 percent among women, the ACS said.

The drops in the cancer death rates, according to Reuters, seem to be based on the whole population. The overall death rate from cancer was 178.4 per 100,000 population in 2007, a 1.3 percent decrease, compared with 180.7 per 100,000 in 2006.

Of all cancers, lung cancer is still the number 1 cancer killer, followed by breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men. Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death for both genders.

Specifically, lung cancer will strike 222,250 men and women in the US and kill 157,300 in 2010; colon cancer will hit 102,900 Americans and kill 51,370; breast cancer will be diagnosed in 209,060 men and women and kill 40,230; prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 217,730 men and result in 32,050 deaths.

The ACS attributed the decline of cancer death rate to smoking cessation, better cancer treatment, and earlier detection. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released two reports in July 6, 2010 suggesting that more screenings are needed to save more people from breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

Cancer is still probably the number one killer in the United States. But a healthy lifestyle can definitely help reduce the risk.

Mezawa H and colleagues published a study in the July 2, 2010 issue of BMC Cancer suggesting that maintaining a high level of serum vitamin D may help patients with colorectal cancer to survive.

Toriola A. T. and colleagues from the University of Tampere in Finland reported in the June 18 2010 issue of European Journal of Cancer that high serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcium may cut the risk of ovarian cancer by up to 68 percent.

Dr. John Cannell, director of Vitamin D Council said on his website that vitamin D deficiency may be involved in 17 types of cancers.

A healthy diet should also help.

Dr. Colin T. Campbell, a distinguished nutrition professor at Cornell University says in his book titled China Study that eating a plant-based diet can significantly cut the cancer risk and genetics may play only a small role.

Randi G and colleagues from Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri in Italy published an article in the July 2010 issue of Nutrition Review saying diets like Mediterranean diet with high amounts of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low amounts of meat and dairy products are generally associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer.

Randi's review was based on more than 30 studies.

By David Liu