Americans are enjoying an overall steady decline in their risk of cancer death. This is largely due to improvement in approaches to early detection through cancer screening, enhanced cancer treatments, and the adoption of methods for cancer prevention. U.S. researchers have recently shown that over the last three decades, these factors and more have resulted in a significant decline of cancer death rates. The study appears in the journal Cancer Research.
According to Dr. Eric Kort of the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan and colleagues, all age groups have experienced some improvement in deaths due to cancer. However, the age group that has experienced the most significant decline in cancer death rates encompasses younger adults between the ages of 35 to 45 years. Kort says, “Essentially, the younger you are, the faster your rates are declining.”
Kort pointed out that the focus on cancer prevention, including such efforts as the creation of smoking cessation programs, has been a key factor in the improved cancer death rates. He further noted, “We're also
benefiting in profound ways from progress we're making in early detection and better treatments. Some of these advances benefit younger people first.” A good example can been seen in the milestone achievements for the treatment of childhood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, that have allowed countless people to survive what had previously been known as incurable, fatal diseases.
Other improvements include life-saving cancer detection methods that have been implemented, such as the mammogram for breast cancer, and the colonoscopy for colon cancer. These screenings have the ability to detect cancers at earlier stages, when they are much easier to treat.
The study measured the decline in cancer deaths by age. Kort’s team analyzed cancer mortality and population data obtained from The World Health Organization Statistical Information System. The researchers examined cancer mortality rates broken down by both age and birth cohort at 10-year intervals, beginning with the year 1925.
According to Kort, “Everyone born since the 1930s has enjoyed a decreased risk of cancer death, at every age.” However, the most significant improvements were noted among the study’s youngest age group of 35 to 45 years, for which a 25.6 percent decline in cancer deaths was observed per decade. For older groups, a decline of 6.8 percent per decade was noted.
Although government estimates indicate only modest improvement in cancer death during the 20th century until the mid-1990s, Kort said that this does not give us a complete picture. In a telephone interview, he pointed out, “The way that these statistics are traditionally reported is they have averaged all of the age groups together to get a composite rate.” He went on to explain, “The problem with that is because most cancer deaths occur in older Americans, the average heavily emphasizes the experiences of older people. It's like watching the caboose of the train to tell when the train is changing direction.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cancer is the second leading cause of death among Americans, claiming almost 560,000 lives each year. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death, with over 630,000 deaths annually.
According to Dr. Eric Kort of the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan and colleagues, all age groups have experienced some improvement in deaths due to cancer. However, the age group that has experienced the most significant decline in cancer death rates encompasses younger adults between the ages of 35 to 45 years. Kort says, “Essentially, the younger you are, the faster your rates are declining.”
Kort pointed out that the focus on cancer prevention, including such efforts as the creation of smoking cessation programs, has been a key factor in the improved cancer death rates. He further noted, “We're also
benefiting in profound ways from progress we're making in early detection and better treatments. Some of these advances benefit younger people first.” A good example can been seen in the milestone achievements for the treatment of childhood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, that have allowed countless people to survive what had previously been known as incurable, fatal diseases.
Other improvements include life-saving cancer detection methods that have been implemented, such as the mammogram for breast cancer, and the colonoscopy for colon cancer. These screenings have the ability to detect cancers at earlier stages, when they are much easier to treat.
The study measured the decline in cancer deaths by age. Kort’s team analyzed cancer mortality and population data obtained from The World Health Organization Statistical Information System. The researchers examined cancer mortality rates broken down by both age and birth cohort at 10-year intervals, beginning with the year 1925.
According to Kort, “Everyone born since the 1930s has enjoyed a decreased risk of cancer death, at every age.” However, the most significant improvements were noted among the study’s youngest age group of 35 to 45 years, for which a 25.6 percent decline in cancer deaths was observed per decade. For older groups, a decline of 6.8 percent per decade was noted.
Although government estimates indicate only modest improvement in cancer death during the 20th century until the mid-1990s, Kort said that this does not give us a complete picture. In a telephone interview, he pointed out, “The way that these statistics are traditionally reported is they have averaged all of the age groups together to get a composite rate.” He went on to explain, “The problem with that is because most cancer deaths occur in older Americans, the average heavily emphasizes the experiences of older people. It's like watching the caboose of the train to tell when the train is changing direction.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cancer is the second leading cause of death among Americans, claiming almost 560,000 lives each year. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death, with over 630,000 deaths annually.
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