Mya Nelson
A new batch of cancer statistics was published online today and it bodes good news, relatively speaking, for people diagnosed with cancer. The report found that overall cancer mortality rates have steadily decreased over the last 16 years, translating to approximating 767,000 fewer deaths from cancer.
Avoiding inactivity is one of the latest pieces of advice for cancer survivors.
To read the report visit CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The lower cancer death rate occurred in all racial/ethnic groups in both men and women, with the exception of American Indian/Alaska Native women, in whom rates were stable.
A few highlights from the report:
• Among men, death rates for all races combined decreased by 21.0 percent between 1990 and 2006, with decreases in lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer rates accounting for nearly 80 percent of the total.
• Among women, overall cancer death rates between 1991 and 2006 decreased by 12.3 percent, with decreases in breast and colorectal cancer rates accounting for 60 percent of the total.
• Breast, lung, and colon are the three most common types of cancer in women, accounting for an estimated 52 percent of cases in 2010. Breast cancer alone is expected to account for 28 percent of all new cancer cases among women.
And although the lower rates of mortality (and incidence) is overall great news, cancer still accounts for more deaths than heart disease in persons younger than 85 years, the authors note.
The report comes at a time when research is now clearly showing that a healthy lifestyle can help cancer survivors, both physiologically and psychologically. For the latest news and information, visit AICR’s News section for Cancer Patients and Survivors News section.
