Cancer Top Cause of Death in U.S. Residents Younger Than Age 85
Cancer has surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death for U.S. residents younger than 85 years old, according to the American Cancer Society's annual report released Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reports (Maugh, Los Angeles Times, 1/20). The study, led by Ahmedin Jemal, found that in 2002 -- the most recent year for which data is available -- 476,009 U.S. residents younger than 85 died of cancer, while 450,637 residents died of heart disease (AP/New York Times, 1/20). However, when adults ages 85 and older are included, heart disease remains the nation's leading cause of death. Harmon Eyre, ACS's chief medical officer, said cancer isn't expected to surpass heart disease as the overall leading cause of death until about 2018. The study also reported the following findings:
- An estimated 1,373,000 new cases of cancer will develop in the United States and 570,000 estimated cancer deaths will occur in 2005, marking small increases from last year;
- Since 1993, the overall death rate has declined 1.5% per year among men and 0.8% per year among women, largely due to decreases in smoking;
- Prostate (232,090), lung (93,010) and colorectal (71,820) cancers will account for 56% of new cases and 51% of deaths in men this year;
- Breast (211,240), lung (79,560) and colorectal (73,470) cancers will account for 55% of new cases and 52% of deaths in women this year;
- Smoking accounts for 33% of cancer cases in the United States;
- Lung cancer cases in women seem to have peaked and may be declining, while in men lung cancer cases peaked in 1989 and have been declining about 1.9% per year since 1991;
- One-third of cancer cases in the United States are associated with obesity, lack of physical activity and poor diet; and
- About 7.2% of cancers in the United States are caused by infections, compared with 17% worldwide (Los Angeles Times, 1/20).