But researchers say not everyone is benefiting equally from these cancer survival advances. Nearly every ethnic and racial group faces a higher risk of cancer death than whites, according to the report.
The annual cancer status report released today shows overall cancer rates dropped by 0.5% per year from 1991 to 2001, and death rates from all cancers fell 1.1% per year from 1993 to 2001. In addition, the percentage of cancer patients who survived more than five years after their initial diagnosis has increased over the last two decades.
Researchers say one of the most notable findings of the report is that lung cancer rates among women appear to be leveling off after increasing for many decades. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women.
"This new report clearly shows we've made considerable gains in reducing the burden of cancer in the United States," says John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, in a news release. "The first ever drop in lung cancer incidence rates in women is remarkable proof that we are making a difference in the number one cancer killer."
Cancer Status Report Shows Progress
The annual cancer status report appears in the current issue of Cancer and is a collaborative effort from the American Cancer Society, the CDC, the National Cancer Institute, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. The report provides updated information on cancer rates and trends in the U.S.
This year's report also highlights trends in cancer survival and compared the five-year survival rates of cancer patients who were diagnosed in 1975-1979 and 1995-2000. Researchers found survival rates improved substantially for most of the top 15 cancers in men and women. Gains of more than 10% in survival were seen in cancers of the colon, kidney, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among both men and women as well as prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women.