The American Cancer Society published the updated cancer state of knowledge this week.
The 2024 data contains both positive and negative news:

YOU ARE NOT TOO EARLY TO GET COVID-19

The American Cancer Society (ACS) released some encouraging statistics regarding various diseases; nonetheless, it’s not good to note that the age distribution of colon cancer patients has shifted.

Currently, colorectal cancer ranks second in women under 50 and first in males when it comes to cancer-related deaths.

According to ACS, this is no longer an illness that just affected the elderly.

There is more risk for young people.

“These are alarming trends, and from anecdotal evidence, doctors are noticing them as well,” stated Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society.

Furthermore, a lot of medical professionals will inform you that the illness is appearing as a more advanced form when it strikes youthful patients.

RATES OF CANCER ARE UP

It is anticipated that there will be more than two million new cancer diagnoses in the US this year for the first time.

Does that indicate that we’re sicker or that we get it more frequently?

This could provide some insight into the obesity epidemic. According to Dr. Dahut, the number of malignancies caused by obesity is rising. These include liver, renal, pancreatic, and postmenopausal breast cancers.

In addition, increasing cases of melanoma in females are been reported. The cause could be a combination of increased sun exposure over time or an increase in skin cancer testing.

CANCER-RELATED DEATH IS DOWN

This year, there is excellent news regarding cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, all cancers except endometrial cancer have decreased fatality rates.
Further research is necessary to determine the rationale for the ongoing high death rate from endometrial cancer. It is widely recognized, therefore, that women of color are disproportionately affected by endometrial cancer; Black women currently have a death rate from the disease that is two times greater than that of White women (4.6 per 100,000).

A child’s cancer is stable.

The childhood cancer rate is currently leveling down.

“In children and adolescents. Overall, cancer rates have finally stabilized. They had been increasing over time. This may have been due to detection (some detection such as thyroid cancer.) But we’re very pleased to see these rates actually stabilizing,” Dr. Dahut said.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) projects a future free of cancer when children receive the HPV vaccine as part of their regular medical treatment.

“Based on vaccination rates, we’re seeing a decrease in cervical cancer. As we mentioned last year in the population, the cohorts that received the HPV vaccination,” Dr. Dahut said.

Topics #cancer