Cancer death rates fall, with a few exceptions

Cancer death rates continue to decline, with decreases in melanoma and lung cancer death rates leading that trend, according to a new report.

Cancer death rates continue to decline, with decreases in melanoma and lung cancer death rates leading that trend, according to a new report. The report, published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute Thursday, includes data from 2001 to 2018, meaning it does not reflect cancer incidence or deaths rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decline in cancer death rates held true for both men and women of all racial and ethnic groups. The report showed a decrease in death rates among 11 of the 19 most common cancers in men and 14 of the 20 most common cancers in women. That overall decline translates into an average 2.2% cancer death rate decrease per year for men and an average 1.7% decrease per year for women. Experts attributed the decline in deaths to reduced smoking rates and targeted cancer treatments.