Cancer summary
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Cancer Summary
Global Cancer Incidence and Mortality Trends
Worldwide Cancer Statistics
In 2020, there were approximately 19.3 million new cancer cases and nearly 10 million cancer deaths globally. The most commonly diagnosed cancers were female breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer, while the leading causes of cancer death were lung, liver, and stomach cancers. These statistics highlight the significant global burden of cancer and the need for effective prevention and treatment strategies.
U.S. Cancer Statistics
In the United States, 1,958,310 new cancer cases and 609,820 cancer deaths are projected for 2023. Notably, prostate cancer incidence increased by 3% annually from 2014 to 2019, reversing a two-decade decline. Conversely, lung cancer incidence in women decreased at half the rate of men, and cervical cancer incidence dropped by 65% among young women due to the human papillomavirus vaccine. These trends underscore the impact of vaccination and the need for targeted cancer prevention efforts.
Cancer Mortality and Survival Trends
Decline in Cancer Mortality
The cancer death rate in the U.S. has been declining since 1991, with a 33% overall reduction by 2020, translating to an estimated 3.8 million deaths averted. This progress is attributed to advances in treatment, particularly for leukemia, melanoma, and kidney cancer, and accelerated declines in lung cancer mortality. Similarly, from 1975 to 2018, five-year relative survival improved for nearly all cancer sites and stages, with significant gains for traditionally poor-prognosis cancers like pancreatic and esophageal cancer.
Impact of New Treatments
Recent declines in mortality for melanoma and liver cancer reflect the impact of new therapies and clinical management advances. For instance, melanoma mortality rates dropped significantly following the approval of new treatments for metastatic disease. These findings highlight the importance of continued innovation in cancer treatment.
Specific Cancer Types
Head and Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancers, which include cancers of the oral cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx, have significant implications for functions such as speech, swallowing, taste, and smell. Treatment decisions are complex and must balance efficacy with potential impacts on quality of life. This complexity necessitates comprehensive support for patients and their caregivers during and after treatment.
Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant neoplasms, with increasing incidence and mortality rates. Risk factors include genetic predispositions and lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, obesity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Understanding these risk factors is crucial for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with diverse tumor and immune cell ecosystems that influence disease progression and response to therapy. High frequencies of PD-L1+ tumor-associated macrophages and exhausted T cells are associated with poor prognosis in high-grade tumors. This understanding can inform precision medicine approaches targeting the tumor and its immunoenvironment.
Cancer Prevention and Survivorship
Precision Prevention
No country can afford to treat its way out of the cancer problem. Emphasizing cancer prevention and early detection, including precision prevention based on advances in cancer biology, is essential. This approach can help reduce the cancer burden and improve outcomes.
Treatment Summaries for Survivors
Treatment summaries (TS) for cancer survivors are valuable tools for follow-up care, enhancing patient understanding and perceptions of care quality. However, more robust research is needed to fully understand their impact and optimize their use in survivorship care.
Conclusion
The global and national cancer statistics underscore the significant burden of cancer and the progress made in reducing mortality through advances in treatment and prevention. Continued efforts in precision prevention, innovative treatments, and comprehensive survivorship care are essential to further reduce the impact of cancer worldwide.
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