Overall death rates for cancer dropped by 1.8% per year in men and 1.6% per year in women from 2004 to 2008 in the United States, while incidence rates declined by 0.6% per year in men and were stable in women over the same period, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.
The most rapid declines in death rates occurred among African American and Hispanic men (2.4% and 2.3% per year, respectively). Even with the decline, African American men still have a 33% higher death rate than white men, and a 15% higher incidence. African American women have a 16% higher death rate but a 6% lower incidence than white women, the society said.
Lung cancer accounted for almost 40% of the total decline in deaths for men, and breast cancer accounted for 34% of the total decline in deaths among women, the report noted.
A total of 1.6 million new cancer cases are projected in the United States for 2012, along with 577,190 deaths, according to the society.
Note: Estimates are based on 1995-2008 incidence rates as reported by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.
Source: American Cancer Society