Cancer Death Rates Continuing to Decline for Adults, Children

MONDAY, Oct. 31, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Cancer death rates are continuing to decline overall, although incidence is stable in men and increasing among women, according to a report published online Oct. 27 in Cancer.

Kathleen A. Cronin, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues provide updates on cancer occurrence and trends in the United States using data on new cancer diagnoses and cancer deaths. Five-year annual incidence and death rates are presented, along with trends for all cancer combined and for leading cancer types.

The researchers found that the overall cancer incidence rates were 497 and 431 per 100,000 among males and females, respectively, during 2014 to 2018. During the corresponding period, the trend was stable among males and increased 0.2 percent on average per year among females. Of the 18 most common cancers, incidence rates increased for three cancers among males, were stable for seven cancers, and decreased for eight cancers. Incidence rates increased for seven, were stable for four, and decreased for seven cancers among females. The overall cancer death rates decreased by 2.3 and 1.9 percent per year among males and females, respectively, during 2015 to 2019; the declining trend was seen in every major race/ethnic group. Death rates decreased for 11 of the 19 most common cancers among males and for 14 of the 20 most common cancers among females during 2015 to 2019. Recent trends were stable for incidence among children (younger than 15 years) and decreased for mortality.

"The findings in this year's Annual Report to the Nation show our ongoing progress against cancer, continuing a more than two-decade trend in declining mortality that reflects improvements in preventing, detecting, and treating cancer," Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute, said in a statement.

One author disclosed financial ties to FAKnostics.

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