Cancer death rates decline 23% since 1991

More than 1.7 million cancer deaths have been been averted since 1991, says a new study from the American Cancer Society.

This new study reports that "steady reductions in smoking combined with advances in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment have resulted in a 23% drop in the cancer death rate since its peak in 1991."

There is no doubt that the advocacy and policy work of ACS CAN and its volunteers have played an important role in this decline.

Just last month, ACS CAN led a campaign that resulted in Congress passing the largest funding increase in medical research in over a decade.

ACS CAN and its volunteers have celebrated enormous legislative victories at every level of government. In particular:

• Nearly half of all Americans live in cities that prohibit smoking in restaurants, bars and other workplaces.
• Since 2002, 47 states, DC, and several U.S. territories have increased their cigarette tax rates more than 120 times as significant tax increases are proven to be the most effective way to prevent children from smoking and helping adults quit.
• All fiftyξstates fund programs that provide free lifesaving cancer screenings - like mammograms, PAP tests and/or colonoscopies - to low-income and uninsured people.

Despite this exciting news, ACS CANŠ—Ès work will not stop until we successfully eliminate cancer as a major health problem.

Thank you to all of our volunteers across the nation who have contributed to this decline.