According to an annual report compiled by leading cancer organizations, the rates of new cancer and the death rates for all cancers combined have significantly decreased for both men and women in the United States. These latest cancer statistics were published online November 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer is the result of collaboration among the American Cancer Society, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. Although cancer mortality has been decreasing since this annual report was first published 10 years ago, this latest report is the first time that there is also a simultaneous decline in the incidence, or number of new cancers, for both men and women.

The decreases are driven by declines in both the incidence and mortality for the 3 most common cancers in men (lung, colorectal, and prostate) and 2 of the 3 most common cancers in women (breast and colorectal). However, death rates for some individual cancers, including esophageal cancer in men and pancreatic cancer in women, are increasing. And, death rates for all cancers combined decreased for all racial and ethnic populations, except for American Indians or Alaskan Natives.

To read the full report, click here.