Cancer Deaths Decline 27% Over 25 Years

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

U.S.
Cancer Deaths Decline 27% Over 25 Years
Improvement reflects reduced smoking but obesity could influence future projections

By Amy Dockser Marcus
Jan. 8, 2019 10:00 a.m. ET

Deaths from cancer dropped 27% over a quarter century, resulting in an estimated 2.6 million fewer cancer deaths during that period, according to a new report from researchers at the American Cancer Society.

For most of the 20th century, overall cancer deaths rose, driven mainly by men dying from lung cancer, researchers noted. But since the peak in 1991, the death rate has steadily dropped 1.5% a year through 2016, primarily because of long-running efforts to reduce smoking as well as advances in detection and treatment of cancer at earlier stages, when prognosis for recovery is generally better. (1)(2)
....

Despite the steady decline in overall death rates, the study’s authors also projected that in 2019, they expect 1.76 million new cancer cases and close to 607,000 cancer deaths in the U.S. The investigators based their conclusions on data compiled from various federal agencies and cancer registries but noted a lag time in the number of cases and deaths because it takes time to collect and analyze data. The study was published Tuesday in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Men die in the greatest numbers from lung, prostate and colorectal cancer, while women die primarily from lung, breast and colorectal cancer, according to the report, which also noted differences in cancer incidence and mortality between the sexes. Rates for some common cancers are increasing or stable in women, with the report finding an increase of 0.4% a year for breast cancer. (3)(4)
....

Write to Amy Dockser Marcus at [e-mail]

(1) https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-moves-to-curb-nicotine-in-cigarettes-1521132234?mod=article_inline

(2) https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-drug-combinations-improve-survival-in-lung-cancer-1523885400?mod=article_inline

(3) https://www.wsj.com/articles/surgery-adds-three-years-to-lives-of-prostate-cancer-patients-study-finds-11544652001?mod=article_inline

(4) https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-new-push-to-lower-your-risk-for-breast-cancer-1538574628?mod=article_inline

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cancer-deaths-decline-27-over-25-years-11546959600

[SpankMe]

1. Trump will take credit in 3...2...1... n/t

[Javaman]

2. expect a spike in cancer cases in a few years, now that the EPA is being gutted. nt

[Hyper_Eye]

3. I wish I never smoked

I smoked in my teenage years and into my mid-20's. I stopped in 2008. During that time I suffered from severe GERD due to a hiatal hernia and weak LES. After I quit smoking in 2008 I had an upper endoscopy to determine the cause of my GERD and the state of things. In addition to the mentioned findings they found short segment Barrett's Esophagus, a pre-cancerous condition, which likely formed during the years that I suffered from acid reflux without insurance. During those years I did not have access to PPI therapy and I simply chomped TUMS which was not terribly effective. I spent many nights in pain suffering with uncontrollable acid in my esophagus and throat. I know that that alone can cause the cellular changes that result in Barrett's Esophagus. I do wonder how much the smoking contributed to that change. I was smoking a pack a day at the time. Luckily the Barrett's Esophagus was short segment (3cm) and non-dysplastic meaning it showed no abnormalities indicative of progression towards cancer. I get scopes every few years to check on it and it has never changed (either increasing or decreasing in length) and it has always come back as non-dysplastic. I dread the day that a different result comes back. I was very young when diagnosed as the average age at diagnosis is 55.

While cancer deaths are decreasing overall, cancers like esophageal cancer are on the rise and they are incredibly deadly. We have come very far but we still have a long way to go. It is time for our government to make cancer research a primary concern. President Obama said that America should lead the way and that we should be the country that cures cancer. We need to make that real.

[TexasBushwhacker]

4. Now that we have the HPV vaccine

Cervical cancer and other HPV related cancers should be going down in younger generations.