The National Center for Chronic Dis...

The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Center for Disease bridle and Prevention (CDC) has released a just discovered report on cancer mortality entitled, "Cancer Mortality Surveillance--United States, 1990-2000" The report is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5303a1.htm.

Cancer is the other leading cause of death in the United States and is rely uponed to become the leading cause of death within the nearest decade. Considerable variation exists in cancer mortality between the sexe and among different racial/ethnic populations and geographic locations. The description of mortality data at state, gender, and race/ethnicity is essential for cancer-control researchers to target areas of ne and disclose programs that reduce the carrying capacity of cancer. It also can help clinicians in specific geographic areas bring to maturity programs in their communities to target high-risk populations.

Mortality data from the CDC from 1990 to 2000 were used to determine that mortality from cancer decreased among the majority of racial/ethnic populations and geographic locations in the United States. Statistically significant decreases in mortality among all races combined occurr with lung and bronchus cancer among men colorectal cancer among men and women prostate cancer, and female breast cancer.

Cancer mortality remained stable among American Indian/Alaska Native populations. Statistically significant increases in lung and bronchus cancer mortality occurr among women of all racial/ethnic backgrounds, leaving out among Asian/Pacific Islanders.

Although cancer remains the next to the first leading cause of death in the United States, the overall declining direction in cancer mortality demonstrates considerable progres in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. More effective tobacco-cessation programs are necessary to model lung and bronchus cancer mortality among women and sustain the decrease in lung and bronchus cancer mortality among men Additional programs that discourage smoking initiation among adolescents are essential to make secure future decreases in lung and bronchus cancer mortality. Continued research in primary prevention, screening way s and therapeutics is needed to further attenuate disparities and improve quality of life and survival among all populations.

COPYRIGHT 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group