Research news: Cancer rate drops for first time

The News:
Cancer rate drops for first time
But it may rise as boomers age
By Thomas H. Maugh IILos Angeles Times
Updated: 11/26/2008 01:23:32 AM MST
For the first time since the U.S. government began compiling data, the rate of cancer has declined, marking a tipping point in the fight against the second-leading cause of death among Americans.
Researchers knew the number of deaths was declining as the result of better treatment, but the drop in cancer cases indicates that major progress is being made in prevention.
"The drop in incidence . . . is something we have been waiting to see for a long time," said Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.
But the declines might be temporary, said Dr. Robert Figlin of the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif.
"Baby boomers are reaching the age at which they develop cancer . . . so we should not be surprised if it changes direction again."
Researchers fear economic woes may trigger an rise in incidence as fewer people feel comfortable paying for screenings and as increased stress leads some people to resume smoking. The growing number of unemployed also means fewer people with health insurance.
The report, published online Tuesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, was compiled by the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. Read on...

The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.