October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer and early detection can dramatically increase survival chances. Today we look at the most common types of cancer in men and women.
In 2020, an estimated 1.8 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in the U.S. and more than 600,000 people died from the disease. It was the second-leading cause of death behind heart disease and ahead of COVID-19.In the U.S., the overall cancer death rate has declined since the early 1990s. The most recent annual report to the nation by the National Cancer Institute, released in March 2020, shows that overall cancer death rates decreased by:1.8% per year among men from 2001 to 20171.4% per year among women from 2001 to 20171.4% per year among children ages 0–14 from 2013 to 2017Although death rates for many individual cancer types also have declined, rates for a few cancers have not changed or even increased.As the overall cancer death rate has declined, the number of cancer survivors has increased. These trends show that progress is being made against the disease, but much work remains. Although rates of smoking, a major cause of cancer, have declined, the rates of other risk factors, such as obesity, have increased in the United States. Also, the U.S. population is aging, and cancer rates increase with age.
Most common cancer
Approximately 1 in 8 women (13%) will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 39 women (3%) will die from breast cancer, making it the most prevalent type of cancer in the U.S.American Cancer Society guidelines for breast cancer screening:
- Women should have the opportunity to begin annual screening between the ages of 40 and 44.
- Women ages 45 to 54 should be screened annually.
- Women ages 55 and older should transition to biennial screening or have the opportunity to continue screening annually.
- Women should continue screening mammography as long as their overall health is good and they have a life expectancy of 10 years or more.
Breast cancer treatment patterns
Most women with early-stage breast cancer will have some type of surgery, which is often combined with other treatments such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and/or targeted therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Percentage of deaths by cancer type in men and women
In 2017, the U.S. had one of the highest rates for cancer in the world at 5.42%.
Five-year cancer survival rates in U.S.
Average five-year survival rates from common cancer types in the U.S. have improved since the 1970s in most types of cancer. The black box indicates the five-year survival rate for the time period of 1970-77; the red dot is the survival rate from 2007-2013.This five-year interval indicates the percentage of people who live longer than five years following diagnosis.
Survival rates are usually given in percentages. For instance, the overall five-year survival rate for bladder cancer is 77.3%. That means that of all people who have bladder cancer, 77.3 of every 100 are living five years after diagnosis.
A 2000 study published in the Journal of American Medical Association found that although five-year survival is a valid measure for comparing cancer therapies in a randomized trial, analysis shows that changes in five-year survival over time bear little relationship to changes in cancer mortality. Instead, they appear primarily related to changing patterns of diagnosis.
The Mayo Clinic has seven tips to help reduce your risk of cancer.1. Don’t use tobacco2. Eat a healthy diet3. Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active4. Protect yourself from the sun5. Get vaccinated (they specifically refer to Hepatitis B and HPV)6. Avoid risky behaviors7. Get regular medical careLearn more at Mayoclinic.org
Source: National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, OurWorldinData.org