New cancer profile in America: Women and young people

Cancer rates have generally declined among men in the country, but the disease now seems to be affecting a different demographic: women and young people. This was highlighted in a report released Thursday by the American Cancer Society.

"Overall cancer incidence has generally declined in men but has risen in women, narrowing the male-to-female rate ratio (RR) from a peak of 1.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.57–1.61) in 1992 to 1.1 (95% confidence interval, 1.12–1.12) in 2021," the report explained.

The report, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, also projected over 2 million new cancer diagnoses and 618,120 deaths are projected in the country this year.

Similarly, the study highlighted a 34% decline in overall cancer mortality between 1990 and 2022. For women, breast cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer represented 51% of all new diagnoses, with breast cancer alone accounting for 32% of cases.

"The cancer mortality rate continued to decline through 2022, averting nearly 4.5 million deaths since 1991 because of smoking reductions, earlier detection for some cancers, and improved treatment," the report said.

In this regard, the report detailed that the incidence of six of the top 10 cancers continues to rise, including breast, prostate, melanoma, uterine corpus cancer, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer (under age 65), two of which primarily affect women.

Although age remains the primary risk factor for cancer overall, the report raises concerns about the increasing incidence of cancer in individuals under 65.

The report also highlighted that racial disparities in cancer mortality rates persist, with Native American mortality rates for kidney, liver, stomach, and cervical cancers being two to three times higher than those of white individuals.

Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, discussed the data with Axios, acknowledging that while the overall decline in cancer cases is something to celebrate, she emphasized the need for continued progress in research and the fight against the disease.

"The increased incidence in certain populations, including women, adolescents, Native American people and Black people, is an important reminder of how critical it is to ensure ongoing investment in cancer research and to prioritize policies that not only preserve but increase access to care for everyone," Lacasse said.