美国癌症学会认为，美国在抗癌方面取得成绩主要应归功于3大举措：戒烟行动使得吸烟人数减少、癌症检查日趋普遍、癌症治疗手段不断提高。
研究人员对美国在1970年至2006年间的癌症相关数据进行统计分析发现，美国的癌症死亡率经历了先升后降的过程：1970年时每10万人中有249．3人死于癌症；到1990年上升到每10万人中279．8人；而到2006年则下降到每10万人中221．1人，比1990年时下降了21％。
研究人员在最新一期网络科学期刊《第一科学公共图书馆》（PLoS One ）上发表报告说，上世纪70年代初期美国发起“向癌症开战”活动，几十年来，美国在抗癌方面取得了显著成效。但他们同时指出，美国并不能因此放松在抗癌方面的努力，还应在癌症防治和研究领域持续加大资金投入，以进一步降低癌症死亡率。
PLoS One doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009584
Declining Death Rates Reflect Progress against Cancer
Ahmedin Jemal1*, Elizabeth Ward1, Michael Thun2
1 Surveillance and Health Policy Research, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America, 2 Epidemiology Department, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
Background
The success of the “war on cancer” initiated in 1971 continues to be debated, with trends in cancer mortality variably presented as evidence of progress or failure. We examined temporal trends in death rates from all-cancer and the 19 most common cancers in the United States from 1970–2006.
Methodology/Principal Findings
We analyzed trends in age-standardized death rates (per 100,000) for all cancers combined, the four most common cancers, and 15 other sites from 1970–2006 in the United States using joinpoint regression model. The age-standardized death rate for all-cancers combined in men increased from 249.3 in 1970 to 279.8 in 1990, and then decreased to 221.1 in 2006, yielding a net decline of 21% and 11% from the 1990 and 1970 rates, respectively. Similarly, the all-cancer death rate in women increased from 163.0 in 1970 to 175.3 in 1991 and then decreased to 153.7 in 2006, a net decline of 12% and 6% from the 1991 and 1970 rates, respectively. These decreases since 1990/91 translate to preventing of 561,400 cancer deaths in men and 205,700 deaths in women. The decrease in death rates from all-cancers involved all ages and racial/ethnic groups. Death rates decreased for 15 of the 19 cancer sites, including the four major cancers, with lung, colorectum and prostate cancers in men and breast and colorectum cancers in women.
Conclusions/Significance
Progress in reducing cancer death rates is evident whether measured against baseline rates in 1970 or in 1990. The downturn in cancer death rates since 1990 result mostly from reductions in tobacco use, increased screening allowing early detection of several cancers, and modest to large improvements in treatment for specific cancers. Continued and increased investment in cancer prevention and control, access to high quality health care, and research could accelerate this progress.