CDC Releases New U.S. Cancer Statistics

Heart disease and cancer continue to be the leading and second leading causes of death, together accounting for almost one-half of all deaths, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. This year’s report on cancer statistics in the United States reveals that the types of cancers occurring most often among the general population are prostate cancer, female breast cancer and lung cancer. The highest death rates from cancer related illnesses occur among people with lung cancer, followed by prostate cancer and female breast cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in a joint effort with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), have released the seventh official federal report of cancer incidence and mortality statistics for the U.S. from 1999-2005. The report was produced with the assistance of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.

Over 1 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2005 in 48 states as well as 6 metropolitan areas and the District of Columbia. This data is inclusive of geographic areas that account for approximately 96 percent of the U.S. population. The report data was compiled from the CDC's National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and the NCI's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program.

The report's cancer mortality data was collected and processed by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. The 2005 mortality statistics are available for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Visit the site here to view detailed information.

States with highest incidents of prostate cancer were Minnesota, North Dakota and Utah. For breast cancer, Connecticut, Delaware; and Washington had the most occurrences, and for lung cancer, the states of Kentucky, West Virginia and Arkansas ranked highest with Tennessee a very close fourth. The states having the most frequent occurrences of all cancers: Delaware, Maine, and Massachusetts.

The most common cancers among men were found to be prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer (in the order of their rates of occurrence per 100,000). Among the top 10 types of cancer among men are urinary bladder, melanomas of the skin, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney and renal pelvis, oral cavity and pharynx, leukemias, and pancreatic cancers.
Similarly, the leading causes of cancer death among men were found to be lung cancer, prostate cancer (liver cancer among Asian/Pacific Islander men), and colorectal cancer.

The most common cancers among women included breast cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer. The other seven included in the top 10 are corpus and uterus, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanomas of the skin, ovary, thyroid, pancreas, kidney and renal pelvis. The leading causes of cancer death in women were revealed to be lung cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer.

For children 19 years of age and younger, leukemias ranked having the highest rate of occurrence followed by acute lymphocytic cancers and cancers of the brain and nervous system. Death rates ranked in order of leukemias, brain and nervous system, and acute lymphocytic cancers.

In consideration of racial and ethnic variations, American Indian and Alaska Native men have the lowest number of cancer occurrences, while Asian/Pacific Islander men have the lowest cancer death rates. In addition, the highest incidents of cancer occur among white women, yet black women have the highest cancer death rates. American Indian/Alaska Native women have the lowest incidence rates of cancer, but the third highest rates for cancer death.