Annual Cancer Statistics Report Raises Key Questions

Extract

The government's annual report on cancer statistics generated headlines this year—cancer mortality continues to decline, and incidence is holding steady overall ( seebox ). But it also highlighted trends and disparities in specific cancers that are not well understood, especially in breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and racial and economic disparities for both children and adults.

“It's part of our intent,” said the National Cancer Institute's Brenda Edwards, Ph.D., chief author of the report. “We try to identify some of the leading questions and bring attention to what is known about risk factors, screening, and treatment that may provide clues to what's causing the trends.”

This year for the first time, breast cancer incidence stopped rising, but researchers don't know if it is leveling off. There was a 4% decline in breast cancers between 2001 and 2003, which was not statistically significant. If the data in the next few years continue to show a decline or stabilization in rates, said Edwards, the reasons may include the leveling off of mammography screening rates and the sharp drop in use of hormone replacement therapy in recent years. “But that is only speculation—we have to wait a few more years and acquire more data,” she said.