Cancer: Trends in the United States

The American Cancer Society (ACS) compiles an annual report on population‐based cancer incidence. It shows trends in cancer by type, by gender, by age. ACS’s Cancer Statistics, 2021 was just released and although data lags behind the current year because of the time required for data collection, number crunching and quality review a promising trend continues to emerge. ACS’s report reads “After increasing for most of the 20th century, the cancer death rate has fallen continuously from its peak in 1991 through 2018, for a total decline of 31%, because of reductions in smoking and improvements in early detection and treatment. This translates to 3.2 million fewer cancer deaths than would have occurred if peak rates had persisted.” This is good news. Every brick that researchers and physicians smash from the wall of cancer enables more mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters and loved ones to clear that wall and live full lives as survivors.

The year-after-year decrease in cancer deaths strongly suggests that when physicians craft personalized treatment plans that are guided by their medical expertise and knowledge of a patient’s unique medical history and application of data on novel therapies, patients win. Arguably their loved ones do too. Patients and Providers United amplifies the voices that seek to keep patients and providers at the center of medical decision making; unconstrained by middlemen that may be driven by cost containment quotas rather than genuine concern for patients.