(10/5/10)- The number of new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. fell by about 1% annually between 1999 and 2006, while deaths from all cancer types also declined by 1.6% annually from 2001 to 2006, according to an report by the CDC and several cancer groups.

Experts said the results could be attributed to advances in medical screening technology and treatment and a deeper understanding of cancer and its sources.

(8/27/99)-The following statistics are from a joint report of the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. They indicate that the overall death rates from cancer declined on the average about 0.5% a year from 1990 to 1995 compared with a increase in the rate of 0.4% in the years between 1973 and 1990.

Elderly and Cancer: A comment: People over 75 account for over one-third of the diagnosed cases of cancer, yet this group is less extensively investigated and receive less treatment than younger patients do. It is known that 75-year old women and 75 year old men have life expectancies of 11.2 years and 8.5 years respectively. How are we to explain the reduced level of intervention when appropriate adjustments are made for co-morbidity (existence of another disease) or frailty? Some elderly people can tolerate chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy just as well as younger patients. Cannot regimens and protocols be modified for less fit patients?

For lung cancer, the latest figures indicate a decrease of 1.1% a year from 1990 to 1995 while, during the years 1973 to 1990, incidence of cancer increased 18% a year between 1973 and 1990.

The rate of breast cancer has now leveled out after rapidly increasing during the years 1973 to 1990. Deaths from breast cancer have dropped over the last five years, but only for white and Hispanic women. Increased screening may account for the stopping of the rapid increase of beast cancer during 1973 to 1990.

The incidence of prostate cancer declined from 1990 to 1995 for white and black men and the death rate has decreased for all except Hispanic men. (See our articles on prostate cancer)

The incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and melanoma appear to be on the rise.
Source: Cancer 1998:82:1197-1207.

See our article on Demographics-Part I-Some Tidbits

FOR AN INFORMATIVE AND PERSONAL ARTICLE ON PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS WHEN SELECTING A NURSING HOME SEE OUR ARTICLE "Selecting a Nursing Home"

Harold Rubin, MS, ABD, CRC, Guest Lecturer
updated October 5, 2010

e-mail: hrubin12@nyc.rr.com

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