American Cancer
Society report finds signs that Cancer progress
could stall
April 2007-An annual report from the American
Cancer Society finds that despite recent
declines in cancer death rates, there are
worrisome signs that progress could stall. Most
importantly, declines in adult and youth tobacco
use have leveled off, and mammography is still
not reaching a substantial part of the
population.
The report, Cancer Prevention & Early Detection
Facts and Figures 2007 (CPED) indicates that if
the key interventions responsible for declining
death rates are not sustained and made available
to all segments of the population, recent
important gains in the cancer fight could slow
or stall.
“The historic second consecutive drop in
U.S. total cancer deaths reported this year
is a remarkable sign that we have the
potential to turn back deaths from cancer,”
said John R. Seffrin, PhD, national chief
executive officer of the American Cancer
Society. “Much of the suffering and death
from cancer could be prevented by more
systematic efforts to reduce tobacco use,
improve diet, increase activity levels, and
expand the use of established screening
tests. But this report shows we may be
losing momentum in some key areas that have
been critical to our success.”
CPED provides the most current information about
progress in cancer prevention and early
detection within each state and the nation. This
year’s report comes during a time of notable
successes: the death rate from all cancers
combined has decreased in each of the last 12
years for which data is available (overall
decrease of 13.6 percent from 1991 to 2004); the
number of actual cancer deaths in the United
States dropped by more than 3000 between 2003 to
2004, the second year in which this number
decreased despite continued growth and aging of
the population; a new vaccine has become
available to prevent infection with the virus
that causes cervical cancer; and successful
grassroots efforts to pass smoke-free laws
succeeded in implementation of legislation in
three new states in the 2006 elections (Ohio,
Arizona, Nevada) despite lavishly funded
opposition from the tobacco companies.
“Despite this progress, we are missing huge
opportunities to prevent cancer entirely or to
detect it at a very early stage when it is most
treatable,” said Michael Thun, MD, vice
president of epidemiology and surveillance
research. According to the report:
•Only 54.9 percent of women report having a
mammogram in the past year; 69.7 percent in the
past two years. The percentage of women who
report having a mammogram in the past two years
did not increase from 2000 to 2003.
•Only 40.2 percent of women without health
insurance report having a mammogram in the past
two years. The federal program that provides
screening for breast and cervical cancer to low
income women had sufficient funding to provide
mammography to only 13 percent of eligible women
in 2002 to 2003.
•Industry expenditures to promote smoking in
2003 exceeded total funding for tobacco control
by a ratio of nearly 23 to 1.
•Progress in reducing smoking among adults and
high school students has stalled in the last few
years, likely reflecting increased tobacco
industry expenditures on marketing and promotion
and declines in funding for comprehensive
tobacco control programs.
•In the past 20 years, the prevalence of obesity
has tripled in adolescents aged 13 to 19, from
five percent to 17.1 percent.
•Obesity rates in adults doubled between 1976
(15 percent) and 2004 (33.3 percent).
•Just over one-third (35.8 percent) of U.S.
youth are physically active for at least 60
minutes on more than 5 days per week; one-third
(33 percent) attend physical education classes
daily.
•Nearly four in ten U.S. high school students
(37.2 percent) report watching three or more
hours of television per day.
•Only about one in five U.S. high school
students (20.1 percent) and one in four adults
(24.3 percent) eats fruits and vegetables five
or more times per day.
•Although appropriate use of screening could cut
colorectal cancer deaths in half, fewer than
half of Americans 50 and older have had a recent
colorectal screening test.
•UV exposure is associated with more than one
million cases of basal and squamous cell cancers
and 59,940 cases of malignant melanoma (one of
the fastest rising cancers in the U.S.) in 2007.
•More than two-thirds (68.7 percent) of youth
reported getting sunburned during the summer
months.
•Forty one percent of white adults reported
getting sunburned in the past year.
The report estimates that in 2007 approximately
168,000 cancer deaths will be caused by tobacco;
that approximately one-third (186,550) of the
559,650 cancer deaths expected to occur in 2007
are attributable to poor nutrition, overweight
and obesity, and physical inactivity; and that
many deaths from cancers of the breast, colon,
rectum, and cervix could be prevented by greater
use of screening tests.
To date, 19 states and the District of Columbia
have taken the lead in passing legislation to
ensure coverage for the full range of colorectal
cancer screening tests.
“This report points to how much more we could do
if we utilized the lifesaving tools at our
disposal,” said Dr. Seffrin. “We’ve laid out the
case with detailed, up-to-date data to give
those fighting this disease a roadmap to
success.”
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is dedicated to
eliminating cancer as a major health problem by
saving lives, diminishing suffering and
preventing cancer through research, education,
advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with
national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society
has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in
3,400 communities, involving millions of
volunteers across the United States. For more
information anytime, call toll free
1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
The full report can be viewed by visiting the
American Cancer Society Web site at
www.cancer.org/statistics.
