Posted by Jonathan Adler:
Cancer Deaths Drop Again:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2007_01_14-2007_01_20.shtml#1169128456
The American Cancer Society reports that total cancer deaths in the
United States have declined for the second straight year. This is
singificant because, while cancer death rates have been declining for
some time, the number of cancer deaths had continued to climb. No
more. As [1]the New York Times reports:
The number of cancer deaths in the United States has dropped for
the second year in a row, the American Cancer Society reported
yesterday. The finding suggests that the small drop reported last
year � the first in more than 70 years � was real, possibly the
start of a continuing decrease and not merely a statistical fluke,
researchers said.
Much of the decrease is due to smoking cessation and improved
detection and treatment of colorectal, breast and prostate cancers.
. . .
The death rate from cancer has been falling by slightly less than 1
percent a year since 1991, but until 2003 the actual number of
deaths kept rising because the population was growing and aging.
Then, in 2003, the cumulative drop in death rates finally became
large enough to outpace aging and population growth.
�The decline in the cancer death rates, which has ultimately
resulted in a decline in the total number of deaths, really
reflects the years of effort and investment in tobacco control,
programs for early detection and screening, and programs in
clinical and basic research,� Dr. Ward said. �We�ve made a great
deal of progress, but we still have a long way to go.�
One great concern, Dr. Ward said, is that African-Americans have
markedly higher death rates than whites from nearly every type of
cancer. Researchers do not fully understand why. Having less
income, education and access to health care account for much of the
difference, but not all of it, researchers say.
The Washington Post also covers the story [2]here.
In [3]potentially unrelated news, a new study concludes that the
average nicotine level in cigarettes increased from 1997 to 2005.
References
1.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/health/18cancer.html?ex=157680000&en=c8274d460150ab37&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
2.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/17/AR2007011702324.html
3.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/18/AR2007011800099.html
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