Shifts in cancer mortality: Place of living increasingly determines where historic drop in cancer mortality reaches

[erronis]

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-shifts-cancer-mortality-historic.html
Mississippi State University

Geographic distribution of percent decrease in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates for U.S. counties between 1981-1983 and 2017-2019 time periods. Credit: British Journal of Cancer (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41416-026-03339-8

In 1991, the U.S. experienced a significant shift in cancer death rates, as, for the first time, deaths began a steady decline that continues to the present day. Researchers at Mississippi State's Social Science Research Center, in partnership with scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, examined this decline to identify where and who benefited the most from this dramatic improvement.

In the British Journal of Cancer, a recent article from MSU SSRC Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus Arthur G. Cosby and a team of researchers analyzed cancer deaths in almost 3,000 U.S. counties from 1981-2019, finding urban and affluent counties were more likely to experience a significant decline in cancer mortality.

"The dramatic reduction in cancer deaths occurs so unevenly across America, and there are many Americans who are not sharing this important improvement in the nation's health," Cosby said. "By identifying the place-based differences in cancer decline, we can gain insights into the forces limiting improved cancer health at the local level."

The article "Who is Benefiting from the Dramatic Decline in U.S. Cancer Mortality?: Place-Based Evidence of Disparities in Rates of Improvement" explores the forces and characteristics that contribute to these differences in the mortality decline. In 1991, when the cancer rate peaked, there were initially few differences between counties with the highest and lowest income levels. By 2019, 10% of the population living in the highest-income counties had mortality improvements roughly 7 times greater than those 10% living in the lowest-income counties.

"Place can make a huge difference in health outcomes, and this was certainly true for county cancer mortality. The geographic differences were stark," Cosby said. "The large urban centers along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts consistently had among the highest rates of cancer improvement. At the same time, rural and smaller cities in the interior of the U.S. often had much lower rates."

. . .

[live love laugh]

1. Interesting that interior locations had higher incidence.

[erronis]

2. Interesting? Or to be expected? States rejecting Medicaid expansion. MAGA folks voting against themselves.

I realize that there are an awful lot of innocent folks harmed by the RW hatred of government and regulations.

[multigraincracker]

3. Went to a talk a few weeks ago.

Speaker said 30% of the folks in my county have or have had cancer.
That’s for Monroe County Mi.

[erronis]

4. Geez. I have 3 types of cancer. I think if you live long enough it's a good possibility.

I'm advancing in years (who wudda thunk?) and I live in one of those areas with good medical services. Regular Medicare (with supplemental) has been my life-line.

Edited to add: I think the main point of this article is on mortality from cancer. Early detection, treatment, and of course avoidance of causes.