Cancer rates declining.

VANCOUVER -- Canadian Cancer Statistics 2004, published by the Canadian Cancer Society, indicate that the incidence and death age-standardized rates for the majority of cancer types have have stabilized or declined during the past decade.

These are the cancer types that are increasing:

* Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma incidence and death rates are increasing for both men and women (at less than two per cent annually);

* cancers of the thyroid and melanoma have have increased among men;

* the melanoma death rate has risen among men.

Among Canadian men, since 1989, the overall cancer death rate is declining slowly as a result of decreases in death rates for lung, colorectal and other cancers. The overall cancer incidence rate has started to decline.

Among women, since 1989, overall cancer incidence rates have risen slightly (due largely to lung cancer and breast cancer) and death rates have declined slightly.

Since 1993, incidence rates for breast cancer have stabilized and death rates have declined steadily since 1990. The breast cancer death rate is at its lowest since 1950. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women.

Death rates due to prostate cancer are declining. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men.

Incidence rates continue to decline for: cervical, ovarian and laryngeal cancer among women; cancers of the larynx and lung among men; and stomach cancer for both men and women.

Death rate declines have occurred in: cervical, ovarian and pancreatic cancer among women; oral, pancreatic, laryngeal and lung cancer among men; and, as a result, benefits in terms of declining lung cancer rates have yet to become apparent.