Cancer Rates in U.S. Continue Decline

12/17/2009

The latest report from the National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Cancer Society and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries indicates that new diagnosis for ALL cancer types fell by nearly one percent on average from 1999 and 2006. Cancer deaths declined by 1.6 percent each year from 2001 to 2006. According to the statement released by Dr. John E. Niederhuber, Director, National Cancer Institute, “While progress against cancer—lower rates of new cancer cases and of cancer deaths—is welcome news at any time, I daresay none of us at NCI considers modest but steady progress to be sufficient. We must continue every effort to develop new understandings and comprehensive solutions to complex diseases. Yet, the report also makes a convincing case that we must work even harder to fully employ today’s best methods of treatment and cancer risk reduction”. Each year the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries work in partnership to provide updated information regarding cancer morbidity and mortality trends in the United States. The 2009 report includes data outlining the trends in colorectal cancer incidence and death rates and highlights the use of statistical modeling as a tool for interpreting past and future trends to assist in cancer control planning and policy decisions. For more information, please review the report at www.cancer.gov.