Good news! The American Cancer Society published its latest data last week, which revealed a 2.2 percent drop in the number of deaths caused by cancer in 2019. That’s the biggest decrease in cancer deaths ever recorded.
The drop in mortality was mostly attributed to a decrease in lung cancer deaths, which makes sense considering how cigarette use continues to plummet. In 1965, 40 percent of adults smoked cigarettes. Now that number stands at 14 percent. On top of that, treatments for lung cancer have improved over the years, making it easier to treat and detect cancer at earlier stages.
How have other types of cancer fared? There has been a general decrease in some of the most prominent cancers since the 1940’s – this includes stomach, colorectum, breast, liver, and uterus. In the last decade, this decrease has stagnated with people in wealthier countries living longer and exceeding life expectancy.
