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Some good news develops from a recent American Cancer Society (ACS) report showing that in the last 20 years, the United States has seen a 20 percent reduction in the amount of deaths from cancer.
The report, published in the January 7 edition of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, finds the data to be most progressive for colon, breast and prostate cancers.
In 2014, the ACS report predicts nearly 1.7 million new cancer cases and more than 585,000 cancer deaths.
Researchers specifically found a great decline in cancer death in middle-aged black men. The death rates from cancer were reduced to almost 50 percent.
John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the ACS believes this progress is nice, but that people can do better, he said within an ACS news release.
“The halving from the chance of cancer death among middle aged black men in just 2 decades is extraordinary, but it is immediately tempered through the knowledge that death rates are still higher among black men than white men for pretty much every major cancer and for all cancers combined,” Seffrin said.
Researchers attribute the decline to higher prevention, treatment and screening options.
“We continue to make progress against cancer,” said Ahmedin Jemal, co-author from the report, inside a statement.
The report discovered that with the decline of smoking, comes the lower rate of lung cancer cases. Jemel said the decrease for black men could be attributed to this reason. This kind of cancer can be screened and when caught early, might have better outcomes.
ACS researchers hope to see more screening in 2014 using the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
