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Health Conditions
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Cancer
Who has it?
The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 10.8 million Americans have cancer or a history of cancer. One-half of American men and one-third of American women will develop cancer during their lifetimes. More than 1.4 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year, which does not account for the nearly 1 million new cases of basal skin cancer that will also be diagnosed this year.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. with almost 560,000 deaths annually--more than 1,500 people a day. Cancer causes one in four deaths in this country. Cancer rates are approximately 16 percent higher among African-American men than Caucasian men. Death rates from all cancers combined peaked in 1990 for men and in 1991 for females. Between 1990 and 2003 death rates from cancer decreased by 16.3 percent for men and between 1991 and 2003 death rates have decreased by 8.5% for females.
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Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.
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Who has it?
