key papersKey paper

Siegel 2019: Cancer statistics, 2019

The American Cancer Society's annual US report for 2019 projected about 1.76 million new cancer cases, recorded a quarter-century of falling cancer death rates, and drew attention to widening gaps between rich and poor counties.

Siegel, Miller and Jemal projected 1,762,450 new cancer cases and 606,880 cancer deaths in the United States for 2019. The cancer death rate had fallen continuously since 1991, by 27% to 2016, which the authors translated into about 2.6 million fewer cancer deaths than if rates had stayed at their peak. The report highlighted that the racial gap in cancer mortality was narrowing while the socioeconomic gap was widening, with the poorest counties carrying the highest death rates for the most preventable cancers.

Observational studyHas not changed practice yet

Authors

Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A.

Published

CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2019

Full text

doi:10.3322/caac.21551

Findings

Projected 1,762,450 new cancer cases and 606,880 cancer deaths in the United States in 2019.
Cancer death rate down 27% from 1991 to 2016, about 2.6 million deaths averted.
Socioeconomic disparities in cancer mortality were widening even as racial disparities narrowed.

What it means

This edition is often cited for the disparities finding: progress against cancer in the United States was reaching some communities much more than others.

Caveats