Cancer death rate in decline in Canada

The Canadian Cancer Society announced Wednesday that the death toll due to cancer has declined over the last two decades. More than 100,000 lives have been saved in that time span.

One of the reasons believed to have helped in the decline of the number of deaths due to cancer is the decrease of the number of smokers in this country. According to CTV News, the amount of smokers is now at 17%, compared to 50% in 1965. Since there is a significant decrease in smokers, there is a sizable decline in the number of deaths related to lung cancer. However, lung cancer is still the deadliest cancer in Canada, based on the number of deaths, taking 20,100 Canadian lives each year. 27% of cancer deaths is due to lung cancer. Lung cancer is not the only type of cancer that saw a decline in the number of deaths. The number of lives taken due to breast cancer has dropped by 40% since 1986. Prostate and colorectal cancers also witnessed a decline in deaths. There are cancers that are rapidly increasing, however, such as thyroid and liver. According to a report by the Public Health Agency of Canada, an estimated 186,400 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year in Canada. It also believed that 75,000 Canadians will die of cancer in 2012. The Canadian Cancer Society also noted that a change in lifestyle can prevent any type of cancer.