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A new cancer statistics report from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), published in the journal Cancer on Monday, April 21, reveals encouraging progress in the United States’ battle against this group of diseases. The data indicates a decline in both overall rates of novel cancer diagnoses and cancer-related deaths across the nation.
Declining Cancer Mortality Rates
The comprehensive study demonstrated a noteworthy trend: cancer death rates are on the decline. Between 2018 and 2022, the report specifies that mortality rates from cancer decreased annually by 1.7% for males and 1.3% for females.
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, commented on these findings, stating, “Cancer mortality rates are decreasing in both sexes due to multiple factors. These include enhanced screening methods, earlier interventions, more sophisticated surgical techniques, and improved targeted treatments.”
The research highlighted a significant reduction in smoking-related cancers, such as lung, bladder, and larynx cancers. This decrease in both new cases and deaths is likely attributable to lowered tobacco usage and revisions in screening guidelines, the researchers suggested.
Mortality Trends by Gender
Male Cancer Death Rates
For adult males, death rates for twelve of the most prevalent cancer types showed a decrease between 2018 and 2022. These cancers included:
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- Prostate
- Liver and intrahepatic bile duct
- Esophagus
- Melanoma of the skin
- Kidney and renal pelvis
- Urinary bladder
- Colon and rectum
- Leukemia
- Myeloma
- Stomach
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Lung and bronchus
Lung and bronchus cancer experienced the most significant reduction in deaths, with a 4.5% annual decrease over the four-year period, the report detailed.
Siegel elaborated on this, mentioning, “This substantial decline is largely a result of earlier and more effective screening practices, robotic lung surgery enabling cancer removal before it spreads beyond the lung, and the availability of more potent targeted therapies and immunotherapies for cases where the cancer has spread.”
Conversely, the study indicated that men’s mortality rates increased for cancers of the pancreas, bones and joints, oral cavity and pharynx, and non-melanoma skin cancer during the same timeframe.
Female Cancer Death Rates
Among women, a positive trend was also observed. Death rates for fourteen common cancers decreased, as noted by the researchers. These included:
- Brain and other nervous system
- Cervix
- Soft tissue including heart
- Urinary bladder
- Kidney and renal pelvis
- Breast
- Stomach
- Leukemia
- Colon and rectum
- Myeloma
- Gallbladder
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Ovary
- Lung and bronchus
Similar to men, lung and bronchus cancer deaths showed the most considerable decrease among women, falling by 3.4% each year between 2018 and 2022.
The report further highlighted the progress against breast cancer, stating, “As of 2021, the death rate from breast cancer has fallen by 42% from its peak in 1989. This is largely attributed to advancements in treatment and screening methodologies.”
However, mortality rates for cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, corpus and uterus, and liver and intrahepatic bile duct rose in women during this period.
Cancer Death Rates in Younger Populations
Children and Adolescents
Data revealed that among children, cancer mortality rates decreased by 1.5% annually between 2001 and 2022.
In the adolescent and young adult group (ages 15 to 39), cancer-related mortality showed a decrease of 2.9% per year from 2001 to 2005, and subsequently 1% per year from 2005 to 2020.
Notably, death rates remained unchanged for this age group between 2020 and 2022.
Trends in New Cancer Diagnoses
New Cancer Cases in Men
Among men, the report indicated that new cancer diagnoses declined each year between 2001 and 2013, at a rate of 1.6% to 2.2%.
These rates stabilized between 2013 and 2021, according to the researchers.
Between 2017 and 2021, new diagnoses in men decreased for cancers of the brain and other nervous system, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, colon and rectum, thyroid, urinary bladder, larynx, and lung and bronchus.
Lung and bronchus cancer again showed the most significant decrease in new cases, dropping by 3.4% per year.
Conversely, six cancer types demonstrated an increase in diagnoses during this period. These included prostate, pancreas, oral cavity and pharynx, kidney and renal pelvis, myeloma, and testis, as listed in the report.
Specifically, prostate cancer diagnoses experienced the most pronounced increase, rising by 2.9% annually.
New cases remained stable for cancers of the stomach, melanoma of the skin, esophagus, leukemia, and liver and intrahepatic bile duct.
New Cancer Cases in Women
For women, the report indicated an overall increase in new cancer cases, rising by 0.3% per year between 2003 and 2021.
Increases in new diagnoses were observed for eight cancers in women:
- Stomach
- Liver and intrahepatic bile duct
- Melanoma of the skin
- Breast
- Myeloma
- Pancreas
- Corpus and uterus
- Oral cavity and pharynx
The researchers suggested that factors such as lower fertility rates, later age at first childbirth, and increased rates of obesity and alcohol consumption are likely contributing to the rise in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cases.
They further noted that an estimated 16% of all breast cancer cases can be linked to alcohol consumption.
Regarding the increase in uterine cancer cases and deaths, risk factors cited by the researchers include excess body weight, physical inactivity, diabetes, and early menstruation.
Stomach cancer cases showed the most rapid growth in women, increasing by 3.2% per year.
“Women are experiencing increased rates of new cancer cases across more sites than men,” the report authors stated. “However, the rise in stomach cancer cases is likely related to a change in classification, where certain stomach tumors – gastrointestinal stromal tumors, or GISTs – are now categorized as malignant. This reclassification, based on improved understanding of these rare tumor types, does not reflect a change in the actual underlying cancer burden.”
The report also highlighted an increase in female cancers associated with excess body weight. These include cancers of the breast, uterus, colon and rectum among adolescents and young adults, and cancers of the pancreas, kidney, and liver among women overall.
Conversely, new cases of the following cancers decreased among women between 2017 and 2021: brain and other nervous system, cervix, colon and rectum, urinary bladder, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, ovary, thyroid, and lung and bronchus.
Lung and bronchus cancer cases showed the most significant decrease among women, declining by 2.1% per year.
Kidney and renal pelvis cancer and leukemia cases remained relatively stable among women.
New Cancer Cases in Young People
Overall, research indicated that new children’s cancer cases declined by 0.8% per year between 2017 and 2021.
The most significant decrease was observed in new diagnoses of brain and other nervous system cancers, which fell by 2.9% per year.
However, there were increases in new cases of leukemia (0.5% per year) and lymphoma (0.6%) between 2017 and 2021.
The most common cancers affecting children included leukemia, brain and other nervous system cancers, and lymphoma.
Trends in Teens and Young Adults
Among teens and young adults, new cancer diagnoses remained stable between 2017 and 2021.
The most common cancer types within this group were female breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and testicular cancer.
Siegel further added, “The multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment is also contributing to decreased mortality, incorporating combined strategies from surgeons, medical subspecialists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and nurse practitioners.”
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic
The report noted that new cancer cases had decreased with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but returned to “expected levels” in 2021.
Due to this unusual fluctuation, the 2020 case data was analyzed separately and was not included in the primary trend analysis for cancer statistics.