Cancer Death Rates in the US Going Down
Based on the 2009 Cancer Statistics Report released by the American Cancer Society, it looks like Americans are doing something right as far as prevention, detection and treatment of the various forms of cancer is concerned. This includes the various agencies and organizations that develop and perform researches that lead towards innovation in cancer treatment, prevention and detection.
Death rates due to cancer between 1990 and 2005, a period of 15 years, were reviewed, and the analysis of the data showed a consistent decline in cancer death rates. Cancer death rates in men dropped 19.2% in the 15-year period, while death rates in women dropped by 11.4%. Both these figures are considered encouraging.
The decrease in death rates is being attributed to self-imposed prevention by Americans, such as choosing to quit smoking, especially among women. It is also being attributed to an increased awareness in detection techniques, such as early detection and screening for colorectal cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer. Lastly, cancer treatment has definitely evolved and improved in the last 15 years, saving more lives down the line.
If all these factors continue to improve for the better, then we may, by consequence, see cancer death rates decline even further.
A decline in smoking will especially be beneficial, as it is a risk factor for at least 15 types of cancer. According to the report, patients who develop tobacco-related cancers such as cancers of the lung and the esophagus have the highest risk of developing a second cancer. Most cancer survivors are more likely to develop another type of cancer versus someone who has never had a diagnosis. Survivors of breast cancer constitute almost half of women who end up developing a second cancer.
Despite these promising figures, though, cancer remains to be the leading cause of death among persons under 85, and still cause 25% of deaths in the US.
Tags: cancer deaths, cancer statistics, decline in cancer deaths, US cancer deaths
