What Cancer Epidemic? Rate of Cancer Diagnoses and Deaths Down Again

One definition of the word epidemic is "a rapid spread or increase in the occurrence of something." The good news is that is not happening with cancer in the United States. To be sure, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the United States, but a new report by the National Cancer Institute confirms that overall cancer death rates continue to decline and that the incidence of cancer continues to fall for men and holds steady for women. From the press release:

The decline in overall cancer death rates continues a trend that began in the early 1990s.  From 2000 through 2009, cancer death rates decreased by 1.8 percent per year among men and by 1.4 percent per year among women. Death rates among children up to 14 years of age also continued to decrease by 1.8 percent per year. …

Between 2000 and 2009, overall cancer incidence rates decreased by 0.6 percent per year among men, were stable among women, and increased by 0.6 percent per year among children (ages 0 to 14 years).

The report highlights the increased rates of cancer related to the human papilloma virus (HPV) which can be prevented by vaccination. HPV not only causes cervical cancer, but also mouth, throat and anal cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that both girls and boys be vaccinated against HPV. It's just plain stupid for parents to refuse to have their children vaccinated against this disease.