As we continue to move through the new year, more information is becoming available regarding both old and new trends to watch for. One trend that is getting a significant amount of attention is the decline in cancer rates in recent years. With the encouraging news recently being announced, let’s examine how much cancer rates have declined, and what could be responsible for the positive movement.

Cancer Statistics
Cancer continues to be the second leading cause of death for Americans each year, with 1.7 million people being diagnosed, leading 600,000 deaths in 2017. While the numbers can seem discouraging, the American Cancer Society recently announced that cancer rates have been declining in the last 25 years, an encouraging sign of the right path.

According to the report, Americans are smoking at much lower rates, as more information continues to be released outlining the dangers of smoking. This is for a good reason too, as countless cancers can develop from long-term smoking, including lung cancer, which has a survival rate of only 18 percent. As a result of increasing awareness, Americans are slowly moving away from their daily smoking habit, which is why researchers believe that it is having an overall positive effect.

Another theory that researchers believe is driving the decline in cancer is a result of better overall healthcare. To be more specific, the healthcare industry continues to find ways to improve detection and treatment options. Early detection has only continued to evolve, making it possible for doctors to detect more cancers in their early stages, which increases the person’s survival rate. Additionally, treatments continue to improve each day, with countless researchers around the world dedicating their time to develop new cancer treatment options. This indicates that more people are beating their cancer, thanks to improved treatments, thus reducing the number of people that are diagnosed with cancer.

An Important Note
While we are continuing to see positive trends with cancer rates, it is important to remember to take care of your health, as cancer can develop for many reasons. For example, while cancers related to smoking has decreased, cancers that stem from obesity are increasing. To help reduce the risk, make sure to maintain a healthy weight and exercise as recommended by your doctor. By staying healthy and active, you can reduce your own risk of developing cancer in your lifetime, while also helping to continue decreasing cancer diagnoses.