Cancer Death Rate Continues to Fall, Down 26 Percent

The Cancer Death Rate Continues to Plunge

A decline in smoking and changes in testing have saved lives experts say

Science Photo Library/Getty Images From 2006 to 2015, cancer deaths declined at a rate of 1.5 percent a year. The death rate from cancer has continued to steadily decline in the United States, dropping by 26 percent from 1991 to 2015, the American Cancer Society (ACS) reported, using the latest available statistics. That means about 2,378,600 more people would have died of cancer during that period if the rate had remained at its peak in 1991. The disease remains widespread and deadly. The ACS projects that 1,735,350 people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States this year and that 609,640 people will die from it. But the ACS report shows an ongoing improvement, largely because of changes in and healthier habits. From 2006 to 2015, cancer deaths declined at a rate of 1.5 percent a year. cases, especially for men, have dropped since the mid-1980s because far fewer people smoke tobacco. And increased screenings for cancer, especially colonoscopies, have led to early detection and removal of precancerous polyps. The decline of cancer cases among men stems partly from fewer diagnoses of prostate cancer, mostly because with a PSA test are no longer recommended. As a result, fewer cases are detected, including many that would never need to be treated. The rate for women has been more stable because declines in lung and colorectal cancers have been offset by increasing rates in other forms, including breast cancer and . Lung cancer remains the most deadly form for both genders, amounting to 1 in 4 cancer deaths. “We’re making progress in reducing death rates from cancer because of improvements in treatment and ,” Ahmedin Jemal, a vice president of the American Cancer Society and senior author of the report, told the New York Times. “But prevention is the low-hanging fruit. We still have 40 million adult smokers in the U.S., which accounts for nearly a third of cancer deaths.” The ACS report was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Also of Interest br

Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.