| Report-at-a-Glance The nation is making progress toward major cancer-related Healthy People 2010 targets. - Death rates from the four most common cancers continue to decline although the rates for all cancers combined have begun to stabilize.
- The rate of cancer incidence began to stabilize in the middle of the decade with evidence of a recent rise.
- Some prevention behaviors have shown improvement. Adult smoking is down dramatically since the 1960s, although rates fell only slightly in the 1990s. Alcohol and fat consumption are headed down, while fruit and vegetable consumption is up.
- The use of screening tests for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers is increasing. However, screening for colorectal cancer remains low, despite its proven effectiveness.
- People are doing slightly more to protect themselves from the sun.
The nation is losing ground in other important areas that demand attention. - The incidence of cancers of the breast and lung in women, as well as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma of skin, and liver in men and women, is rising.
- Lung cancer death rates in women continue to rise, but not as rapidly as before.
- Youth smoking was on the rise during much of the 1990s, but has shown declines since 1997.
- More people are overweight and obese, and physical activity is increasing only slightly.
- Cancer treatment spending continues to rise along with total health care spending.
- Unexplained cancer-related health disparities remain among population subgroups. For example, Blacks and people with low socioeconomic status have the highest rates of both new cancers and cancer deaths.
Page last modified: 2/5/2004 |
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