New York cancer death rates plummet, biggest drop among Black residents

Sep 19, 2024 Story by: Editor

The likelihood of dying from cancer has dramatically decreased over the past three decades, thanks to advancements in treatment, early detection of certain cancers, and a decline in smoking rates, according to a report released this week.

Data from the state Department of Health shows that New York experienced a 43.5% reduction in cancer mortality rates between 1991 and 2021, which surpasses the nationwide decline of 33% . Additionally, unlike many other parts of the U.S., Black residents in New York are now slightly less likely to die from cancer compared to white residents, marking a significant shift from previous trends.

The nationwide decrease in cancer deaths has saved 4.1 million lives , as estimated in a report published Wednesday by the American Association for Cancer Research, citing data from the American Cancer Society.

“It’s really phenomenal to think we’ve dropped the death rate from cancer by 33% in that span of time,” remarked Dr. Richard Carvajal, deputy physician-in-chief and director of medical oncology at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute.

Key Points:

Americans were 33% less likely to die from cancer in 2021 compared to 1991, with New Yorkers seeing a 43.5% decline.

Improvements in treatments, early detection, and reduced smoking rates are major contributors to the decline.

Black New Yorkers now have a slightly lower cancer death rate than whites, with Asians and Hispanics having the lowest rates.

Despite this progress, experts note that advances in some cancer types have been less robust, and certain cancers, such as breast and colon cancer, have seen an increase in younger populations.

The development of new treatments has rapidly advanced, with over 80 new cancer drugs emerging in the past decade. Dr. Carvajal pointed out that there are nearly 20,000 clinical trials currently underway worldwide for potential new cancer therapies.

Immunotherapy, which uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer, has been one of the major breakthroughs, according to Dr. Ashish Sangal , chief of oncology at Catholic Health . “We have more options for our patients now,” Sangal said. “That is leading to less cancer mortality.”

Early detection of cancer has become easier as well. Dr. Ryan Sugarman, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Uniondale, explained, “We’re able to detect cancer when it’s smaller and if you catch cancer at that earlier stage, it’s more likely to be curable.” He added that imaging technologies like mammograms, MRIs, and ultrasounds have become more precise.

In New York, the cancer death rate fell from 214.5 per 100,000 people in 1991 to 121.2 in 2021, a 43.5% decrease. The most significant decline occurred among non-Hispanic Black residents, whose death rate dropped from 245.1 to 124 per 100,000, a 49.4% reduction. Today, Black New Yorkers have a lower cancer mortality rate than non-Hispanic whites and American Indians but remain higher than Hispanics and non-Hispanic Asians.

John Cleveland, director of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida , noted that the nationwide gap in cancer mortality between Black and white people has narrowed in recent years, though Black patients still have a higher death rate.

Dr. Sugarman suggested that New York’s sharper decline could be attributed to better access to health care, early screening, and lower smoking and obesity rates. New York also boasts one of the highest rates of health insurance coverage and some of the lowest smoking and obesity rates in the nation, according to a KFF analysis and CDC data.

Dr. Ahmedin Jemal , senior vice president of surveillance and health equity science for the American Cancer Society, noted that smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use are linked to nearly half of all cancer diagnoses.

The region's higher number of clinical trials may also contribute to better outcomes, as more patients have access to cutting-edge therapies, Dr. Carvajal said.

Nationwide, a growing focus on racial differences in cancer development and treatment, along with efforts to recruit more people of color into clinical trials, is helping to narrow the racial gap, Cleveland added. “We need to really tailor therapies in much more precise ways to get an effective response,” he said.

Despite progress, Jemal pointed out that research remains uneven. Pancreatic cancer, for instance, still lacks a clear cause or effective treatment. “We don’t know how to prevent it, and we don’t have an effective treatment,” he said.

With over 200 types of cancer, each with its own way of mutating, Cleveland believes that mortality rates will continue to decline as research evolves. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are expected to play an increasing role in cancer treatment by analyzing vast data sets to guide personalized treatment plans for patients.