Cancer rate declines for first time in ten years

Good news in the fight against cancer.  For the first time in ten years, incidence and death rates from all cancers combined are decreasing for both men and women.  That’s according to the new Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer.  While it’s a step in the right direction, experts say there’s still a ways to go.

According to the report, from 1996 through 2005, death rates for all cancers combined decreased for most racial and ethnic populations.  The decrease is due to the decline in the most common cancers among men, lung, colon, and prostate, and the two most common among women, breast, and colon.  The report sites progress made in prevention, early detection, and treatment as contributing factors for the decline.

Dr. Tony Alberg, an associate director for cancer prevention and control at Hollings Cancer Center says the work continues.  He says, “What’s very exciting about this is that it is across the board.  If we look at all cancers combined, there’s a decrease in both mortality and occurrence of new cases in both men and women, and that’s remarkable.  We have made great strides.  It’s a tremendous accomplishment.  I think we should celebrate as a nation, but it’s going to take sustained continued investment over time to continue to keep this good news and keep the trends going downwards.“

Patricia Simon is a breast cancer survivor, and lost her mother and grandmother to the disease.  She says, “I’m very fortunate to be alive.  It’s absolutely encouraging.  Go out and be screened, cause if you catch it early, there’s a much better chance for survival.“

Although the report brings good news, there are large state and regional differences in lung cancer rates.  Dr. Alberg says, “As a nation these results are great news.  I think we do need to look at our situation in South Carolina, so there are not as favorable news as the nation as a whole.  For example, the lung cancer mortality rates that have been decreasing, we have the 13th highest lung cancer mortality rate, and that’s directly attributable to our lack of attention to smoking control in South Carolina”

According to the report, death rates declined for 10 of the top 15 causes of cancer death among both men and women.  However, death rates for certain individual cancers are increasing, including esophageal cancer for men, pancreatic cancer for women, and liver cancer for both men and women.  Overall cancer death rates were highest for African-Americans and lowest for Asian American/Pacific Islanders.

The study was conducted by the American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.