News & Events

2024

Generation X and Millennials may have higher risk for cancer than previous generations

August, 2024 - The Lancet Tweet

A risk factor for cancer is something that increases a person’s chances of developing cancer. These risk factors include age, genetics, excess body weight, exposure to carcinogens—which damage DNA and change the way cells function—and more. Recent studies show people born between 1965 and 1980 may have higher rates of some cancers for their age compared to people born in previous generations. Now, in a study published in The Lancet, researchers at the American Cancer Society used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program to understand how rates of cancer changed from generation to generation in the US, starting with people born in the 1920s through the 1990s.

To model rates of cancer across a broad population of people in the United States, the researchers used over 23 million records of cancer cases and over 7 million records of cancer deaths between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2019. They found rates of new cancer cases increased from the oldest to the youngest generations for 17 of 34 cancer sites. Of these 17 cancers, 10 are related to excess body weight and include cancers of the colon and rectum, kidney, uterus, pancreas, breast, and liver. Other cancer risk factors at play may include lack of exercise as well as diets high in processed foods and saturated fats. However, the researchers found younger generations have falling rates of cervical cancer, which can be prevented with the HPV vaccine, and of lung cancer, which parallels the decline in tobacco use. Since cancer is being diagnosed earlier, the researchers note that exposure to cancer risk factors must be happening even earlier in a person’s life. The researchers highlight that more research into these early lifetime exposures is needed to slow down the rate of new cancer cases.

SEER modeling projects over 26 million cancer survivors in 2040

July 13, 2024 - JNCI Tweet

Advances in cancer screening, detection, and treatment mean more people are living longer after being diagnosed. A recent study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program to project the number of cancer survivors living in the United States by 2040.

To estimate the number of future cancer survivors in the United States, the researchers combined SEER data, which includes information about cancer case and survival rates, together with mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics and US Census Bureau. About 18.1 million people in the United States were living with a cancer diagnosis on January 1, 2022. By 2030, the number of survivors will increase to 21.6 million and, by 2040, over 26 million people will be living with a cancer diagnosis. Between 2022 and 2040, about 74% of all cancer survivors will have lived 5 or more years after diagnosis. Given these increasing survivor populations, the researchers call for further study in health care delivery and research programs to properly support these diverse groups.

Cigarette smoking responsible for most preventable cancer cases and deaths

July 11, 2024 - American Cancer Society Tweet

A cancer risk factor is something that increases a person’s chances of developing cancer. These factors can be out of our control, such as age, family medical history, or exposure to chemicals and pollution. Other cancer risk factors come from lifestyle choices like smoking, drinking alcohol, diet, and exercise. Some risk factors have strong links to multiple types of cancer, like cigarette smoking increasing the risk of cancers in the mouth, throat, lungs, colon, bladder, and more. In a recent study from the American Cancer Society, researchers looked at de-identified cancer data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program and health behavior survey data to estimate the number of cancer cases and deaths that could be linked to these lifestyle choices and other modifiable risk factors.

To make these estimates, the researchers combined new cancer diagnoses and deaths in 2019 with health survey data from the previous 10 years. The health survey included questions about smoking, drinking, diet, body mass, exercise, and certain infections linked to cancer. Out of 1,781,649 cancer diagnoses in the United States in 2019, about 40% of these diagnoses—or 713,340 cancer cases—could be linked to modifiable risk factors like smoking, diet, and exercise. The researchers linked cigarette smoking to nearly half of these preventable cancer diagnoses, followed by excess body weight, alcohol consumption, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. About 44% of all cancer deaths could be linked to these risk factors as well. When linking risk factors to preventable cancer deaths, the researchers found cigarette smoking, excess body weight, diet, and infections were the top four responsible factors.

American Cancer Society studies cancer rates across AANHPI ethnic groups

June 24, 2024 - American Cancer Society Tweet

The American Cancer Society (ACS) released a first-of-its-kind report to examine the cancer risk among Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. The report, released on the first day of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, dives into cancer rates for approximately 25.7 million Americans belonging to over 27 different ethnic groups living in the United States in 2021. To study cancer rates among this broad and diverse population, the researchers used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries, and the US Census Bureau.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death overall in the United States, but among US residents who are of Chinese, Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese descent, cancer is the leading cause of death. Among Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer. The report found Asian Americans are more likely than Whites to die from liver and stomach cancers, while Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have higher death rates compared to Whites for breast, liver, cervical, stomach, and uterine cancers. Some of these disparities may be from lack of access to cancer screening or prevention, as seen in higher rates of advanced breast cancer diagnoses among Guamanian, Samoan, Pakistani, Tongan, Laotian, and Hmong women. The researchers call for renewed research into the cancer burden felt by these highly diverse ethnic populations.

Generation X showing higher rates of new cancer diagnoses

June 10, 2024 - JAMA Network Tweet

Age is the largest factor that contributes to a person’s risk for developing cancer. About 30% of all new cancer cases get diagnosed in people between 65 and 74 years, with a median age at diagnosis of 67, according to the Cancer Stat Facts sheet for cancer of all sites. In 2024, people who fall into this age range were born between 1950 and 1964, which begins to straddle the Baby Boomer and Generation X generations. The second highest rate of cancer diagnoses—24% of all cases—happens in people between 55 and 64 years, which includes more of Generation X.

In a recent study published in JAMA Open Network, researchers used de-identified cancer data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program to study if rates of new cancer cases are increasing or decreasing across different generations in the US. The dataset covered people between the ages of 35 and 84 from 1992 to 2018 and included the 21 most diagnosed cancers. The researchers found that, compared to their parents’ generation, Baby Boomer men had lower rates of cancer. However, men and women from Generation X had higher rates of new cancer cases compared to their parents’ generations. Among Generation X men and women, rates of new cases increased quickly for thyroid, kidney, colorectal cancers, and leukemia. Rising rates of obesity and sedentary lifestyles may be partly to blame for these rising cancer rates. The researchers are unsure about what sort of cancer burden Millennials will feel, as rising cancer rates meet improved cancer screening and treatment options due to research investments.

CISNET modeling informs new breast cancer screening guidelines

April 30, 2024 - JAMA Network Tweet

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is a volunteer group of medical professionals who make recommendations about how, when, and who to screen for certain types of diseases like cancer. In a new paper published in JAMA, researchers used the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET), which uses data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, to explore the benefits and costs of new breast cancer screening strategies.

Before changing its screening guidelines, the USPSTF recommended women between 50 and 74 years old get a mammogram every two years and suggested doctors should discuss starting breast cancer screening earlier for patients at higher risk. The researchers modeled thirty-six different breast cancer screening strategies and estimated factors, including the number of deaths prevented, to evaluate each strategy. Each strategy included different screening age ranges, how often a patient goes for screening, and the technology used to look for breast cancer.

The screening strategies that saved the most lives started between the ages of 40 and 45 and continued every other year (biennially) through age 74 or 79. Both digital mammograms and digital breast tomosynthesis (or “DBT,” also sometimes known as a 3D mammogram) were effective in preventing breast cancer death, but DBT had slightly fewer false positives. Black women saw better survival with every studied strategy, and the researchers suggest annual screening for black women may further help reduce breast cancer disparities. With these findings, the USPSTF now recommends women get a mammogram every other year between the ages of 40 and 74.

Prostate cancer survivors who consume a plant-based diet have a higher quality of life

February 13, 2024 - American Cancer Society Tweet

A healthy diet is one of the pillars of good health, regardless of a given patient’s cancer diagnosis. Healthy diets are usually defined by consuming a variety of foods, including a large proportion of plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. In a recent publication in Cancer, researchers compared the diets of prostate cancer survivors and their quality of life.

The researchers analyzed survey data about the diet and quality of life of prostate cancer survivors. They separated study participants into groups based on the amount of plant-based foods in their diets. The researchers found patients who had a higher percentage of plant-based foods in their diets had better urinary, bowel, sexual, and hormonal function after prostate cancer treatment. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program is acknowledged for supporting cancer registries that provided prostate cancer data.

History of financial hardship events linked to later stage cancer diagnosis

February 6, 2024 - Journal of Clinical Oncology Tweet

Financial vulnerability—when a person has limited savings, high debt, or insufficient income to meet spending obligations—touches almost every aspect of life, including housing, healthcare, education, food, and more. In 2021, the Federal Reserve found that 32% of adults in the United States could not afford an emergency $400 expense, while another study found one in three adults did not get a medical test or treatment because of the cost. In a recent publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers at multiple institutions, including the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences at the National Cancer Institute, explored the relationship between a patient’s financial hardship history and the stage of cancer at diagnosis.

The researchers combined cancer case data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program with financial data from LexisNexis to study the association between previous financial hardship events and cancer stage at diagnosis. Out of the 101,649 de-identified patients within this combined dataset, 36.2% had at least one hardship event—such as bankruptcy, eviction, and/or a lien—before being diagnosed with cancer. The researchers found people who experienced one of these events before a cancer diagnosis had a higher risk of being diagnosed with advanced stage disease. Financial barriers may have inhibited access to routine doctor visits and screenings.

However, the researchers note this question gets complicated when including factors like race and income. Blacks had twice the number of financial hardship events compared to Whites, reflecting longstanding issues of inequality and systemic racism. But while Black women were more likely than White women to be diagnosed with advanced cancer, Black men were less likely than White men to get an advanced stage diagnosis. And, while the highest proportion of financial hardship events—45%—happened to people in the lowest income group, 27% of people in the highest income group also experienced financial hardship events before their cancer diagnosis. With these findings, the researchers highlight the importance of considering patient financial history to assist this particularly vulnerable population.

SEER data drives American Lung Association Report on Lung Cancer

January 17, 2024 - American Lung Association

The American Lung Association (ALA) released the State of Lung Cancer report for 2023. The ALA report examines lung cancer trends in new cases, survival rates, screening, treatments, and racial and ethnic disparities on a state-by-state basis. The report cites the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program as one of the primary data sources for this report.

As seen in other cancer reports from the American Cancer Society and SEER Program, researchers and health care providers continue making progress against lung cancer. The ALA report notes that survival rates increased from 22% to 26.6% over the previous five years. However, despite expanded screening guidelines, screening rates for individuals at high risk of lung cancer, including current and former smokers, remain low. Also, racial and ethnic disparities continue, with people of color being less likely to be diagnosed early or receive surgery compared to whites.

For more information about lung cancer trends across the United States, read the report from the American Lung Association. Also visit our Cancer Stat Facts sheet on lung cancer and State Cancer Profiles for lung cancer rates in your state.

Improved treatments lower breast cancer mortality, according to SEER-based models

January 16, 2024 - JAMA Network Tweet

The cancer mortality rate gives us important information about how we are doing in the fight against cancer. A low mortality rate usually means screening and treatment strategies are working well. However, it can be hard to say exactly why the mortality rate for some cancers is low. For example, catching cancer in early stages through better screening strategies and technologies can give patients the best chance of long-term survival. Also, better cancer treatments can help later-stage patients live longer. Researchers used the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) to understand how each of these factors contributed to the improvements seen in breast cancer mortality from 1975 to 2019.

The breast cancer mortality rate dropped by 58% from 1975 to 2019. With several models, which accounted for screening strategies and treatment advancements, the researchers could estimate how each of these factors helped reduce the breast cancer mortality rate. Imagine a pie chart breaking down the reasons for improving breast cancer mortality. The chart has three sections—treatments for stage I to stage III breast cancer, screening strategies, and treatment for metastatic breast cancer. The researchers found advancements in treatments for stage I to stage III breast cancer contributed almost half of the pie chart. Screening strategies and treatment advancements for metastatic breast cancer contributed about a quarter of the pie chart each.