Each year, the American Cancer Society estimates the number of new cancer cases and
deaths expected in the United States in the current year and compiles the most recent
data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival based on incidence data from the
National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North
American Association of Central Cancer Registries and mortality data from the National
Center for Health Statistics. Incidence and death rates are standardized by age to
the 2000 United States standard million population. A total of 1,479,350 new cancer
cases and 562,340 deaths from cancer are projected to occur in the United States in
2009. Overall cancer incidence rates decreased in the most recent time period in both
men (1.8% per year from 2001 to 2005) and women (0.6% per year from 1998 to 2005),
largely because of decreases in the three major cancer sites in men (lung, prostate,
and colon and rectum [colorectum]) and in two major cancer sites in women (breast
and colorectum). Overall cancer death rates decreased in men by 19.2% between 1990
and 2005, with decreases in lung (37%), prostate (24%), and colorectal (17%) cancer
rates accounting for nearly 80% of the total decrease. Among women, overall cancer
death rates between 1991 and 2005 decreased by 11.4%, with decreases in breast (37%)
and colorectal (24%) cancer rates accounting for 60% of the total decrease. The reduction
in the overall cancer death rates has resulted in the avoidance of about 650,000 deaths
from cancer over the 15-year period. This report also examines cancer incidence, mortality,
and survival by site, sex, race/ethnicity, education, geographic area, and calendar
year. Although progress has been made in reducing incidence and mortality rates and
improving survival, cancer still accounts for more deaths than heart disease in persons
younger than 85 years of age. Further progress can be accelerated by applying existing
cancer control knowledge across all segments of the population and by supporting new
discoveries in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment.