Take aways:

  • The death rate from all cancers combined has decreased by 2.6% per year among men and by 1.8% per year among women since 2002.
  • Compared to the rate in 1950, the cancer death rate decreased slightly in 2005, while rates for other major chronic diseases decreased substantially during this period.
  • Lung cancer is currently the most common cause of cancer death in women, with the death rate more than two times what it was 27 years ago.
  • Breast cancer death rates were virtually unchanged between 1930 and 1990, but decreased about 27% between 1990 to 2004.

Source: American Cancer Society (for full presentation)