Cancer Mortality

PANCREATIC CANCER IS THE FOURTH LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH IN MEN AND WOMEN. IN 2004, THERE WERE 31,862 AMERICANS THAT DEVELOPED PANCREATIC CANCER. IN 2004, 31,276 AMERICANS DIED FROM THIS DISEASE. ONLY 20% OF INDIVIDUALS ARE CANDIDATES FOR CURATIVE SURGERY AT THE TIME OF DIAGNOSIS. MOST OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL RELAPSE WITH RECURRENT DISEASE WITHIN ONE YEAR. LESS THAN 5% OF NEWLY DIAGNOSED INDIVIDUALS WILL LIVE 5 YEARS. MUCH WORK IS NEEDED

Breast, prostate, and lung cancer are the most common types of cancer identified. Yearly, approximately 182,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. The lifetime risk for American women in contracting breast cancer is approximately 13%, but the risk from dying from this disease is 3.3%. For every woman that is diagnosed with this disease, another 5 or 10 will have biopsy that shows benign disease.

Prostate cancer yields approximately 180,000 new cases yearly in the United States, and yields an approximate 18% mortality rate. Prostate cancer is generally considered a disease of the elderly, with a median age at diagnosis of 65 years. Prostate cancer is most common in western European nations and the United States. Blacks have a higher predisposition to prostate cancer at all ages compared to whites of similar socioeconomic class and education.

Lung cancer yields approximately 170,000 new cases yearly, and the mortality rate is 88%. Cigarette smoking constitutes the greatest risk factor in developing lung cancer. Approximately 90% of lung cancer in men and 80% of lung cancer in women are attributed to smoking. The lifetime risk of developing lung cancer to non-smokers is 1%.

Mortality rates from other types of cancer are: colon/rectum (39%), pancreatic (98%), leukemia (70%), ovarian (63%), and bladder (21%).