Death rates from cancer are down by 20 per cent in the United States compared to peak 1991 levels due to improvements in treatment, early detection and a decline in smoking, according to research published by the American Cancer Society Thursday.
The numbers based on cancer data collected through 2009, the most recent year available, show that overall death rates decreased by 24 per cent in men and 16 per cent in women since 1991.
"In 2009, Americans had a 20 per cent lower risk of death from cancer than they did in 1991, a milestone that shows we truly are creating more birthdays," said John R Seffrin, chief executive of the American Cancer Society, in an article on the organization's website.
"But we must also recognize that not all demographic groups have benefited equally from these gains, particularly those diagnosed with colorectal or breast cancer, where earlier detection and better treatments are credited for the improving trends," Seffrin said. "We can and must close this gap so that people are not punished for having the misfortune of being born poor and disadvantaged."
The association has also published its estimates on cancer rates for 2013, putting the number of new cases to almost 1.7 million and the death rate to about 580,000.
Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US after heart disease, accounting for almost a quarter of deaths.
While cancer deaths have been declining in developed countries, the World Health Organization estimates the number of cancer deaths will increase globally by 45 per cent between 2007 and 2030 due to aging populations and increasing cancer rates in developing regions.