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American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society

Nonprofit health organization

Appears in 2 stories

Stories

Colorectal cancer takes younger lives as public figures sound the alarm

New Capabilities

Sets screening guidelines

Colorectal cancer now kills more Americans under 50 than any other cancer. James Van Der Beek, who played Dawson Leery in the late-1990s teen drama Dawson's Creek, died February 11 at age 48 after a 30-month battle with colorectal cancer. He became the latest public figure to put a face on an epidemic that medical guidelines have only recently begun to address.

Updated May 27

The 34-year retreat of cancer death rates

New Capabilities

Publishes annual Cancer Facts & Figures report

Cancer death rates in the United States peaked in 1991 at 215 deaths per 100,000 people and have since fallen 34%, averting an estimated 4.5 million deaths. The decline accelerated from about 1% annually in the 1990s to 2% annually by 2015-2020, driven by plummeting smoking rates, earlier detection through screening, and advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapy.

Updated May 22