New report shows overall cancer death rates down; cases in women, young people up
According to a new health report released Monday, cancer rates in women have increased, and a growing number of young people are being diagnosed.
Melissa Davis was just 30 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"It was just a time when I was just living my young life. I wasn't thinking about cancer or anything like that," she said.
The South Jersey mom is part of a new trend. According to the report from the journal "Cancer," more women are being diagnosed with breast cancer and surviving.
"Every time I hear that, it gives me encouragement because I'm like, you can live with stage 4 and be a 20-plus year survivor," Davis said.
The report shows a steady decline in cancer deaths from 2001 through 2022.
"This is because of better detections and new treatments that have come out," said Dr. Christina Annunziata with the American Cancer Society.
Annunziata said cancers related to smoking are down because fewer people are lighting up. But there's been an increase in cancer related to obesity, things like breast, pancreas and kidney cancers, and in people under the age of 50.
Stephanie Stahl: "Why do we think there's been an increase in the number of younger people being diagnosed with cancer?
Dr. Annunziata: "That's certainly a topic for more research. I don't think we have a clear answer of that."
However, what is clear is that cancer screenings save lives. The journal's report said there was a disruption in things like mammograms in 2020 because of the pandemic. Cancer incidents were down that year, but have now returned to expected levels.
"It's challenging, very challenging," Davis said.
For Davis, who's 40 years old with three children, she's had a second bout with cancer.
"I just have to, you know, maintain a balanced, healthy life with medication for the rest of my life," she said.
All about living with cancer, like so many others.
The report said racial disparities have not eased. One example of this is that Black women have a 40% higher risk of dying from breast cancer than White women.
