American Cancer Society

About: American Cancer Society is a nonprofit organization based out in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cancer & Population. The organization has 1339 authors who have published 3700 publications receiving 688166 citations. The organization is also known as: American Cancer Society, ACS & American Society for the Control of Cancer.

Body mass index, height, and postmenopausal breast cancer mortality in a prospective cohort of US women

Abstract: Objective: Epidemiologic evidence suggests a positive association between body mass, adult height, and postmenopausal breast cancer. However, most studies have not been large enough to examine the association across a very wide range of body mass or height, and few studies have assessed the relationship between body mass or height and postmenopausal breast cancer mortality. Methods: The relation between body mass index (BMI) and height and postmenopausal breast cancer mortality was examined in the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II), a large prospective mortality study of US adults enrolled in 1982. After 14 years of follow-up, 2852 breast cancer deaths were observed among 424,168 postmenopausal women who were cancer-free at interview. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to estimate relative risks and to control for potential confounding. Results: Breast cancer mortality rates increased continually and substantially with increasing BMI (rate ratio (RR) = 3.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.09-4.51 for BMI > 40.0 compared to BMI 18.5-20.49). If causal, the multivariate-adjusted RR estimates in this study correspond to approximately 30-50% of breast cancer deaths among postmenopausal women in the US population being attributable to overweight. Breast cancer mortality also increased with increasing height up to 66 inches with RR = 1.64, (95% CI = 1.23-2.18) in women 66 inches tall compared to those <60 inches. Conclusions: Postmenopausal obesity is an important and potentially avoidable predictor of fatal breast cancer in this study. These results underscore the importance of maintaining moderate weight throughout adult life.

Probabilities of eventually developing or dying of cancer--United States 1985

Abstract: The usual measures of the magnitude of the cancer problem are annual incidence and mortality data We present another measure of the magnitude of the cancer problem We computed the probabilities at birth and at various ages of developing or dying of the disease within 10 years, 20 years, or total lifetime and show the trends that have occurred in these data since 1975 These probabilities were computed for males and females and among whites and blacks for 1975 and 1980, and projected to 1985 The data indicate a continuing, albeit modest, increase in the probabilities of eventually developing cancer in each of the four sex-race groups, both excluding and including carcinoma in situ White males now show the highest probability at birth of eventually developing cancer, and black females, the lowest, with the figures for the other two groups being intermediate Larger increases were seen for males between 1980 and 1985 (more than three percent) than for females (two percent or less) A child born in the US in 1985 has more than one in three chances of eventually developing invasive cancer (exclusive of epidermoid skin cancer) By site, for males the largest probabilities and the largest increases in the probabilities are for eventually developing lung and prostate cancer For women, the largest eventual probabilities are for breast cancer, almost one in 10 for white females and one in 14 for black females The largest increases are seen for lung cancer and cancer of the colon-rectum The probability of eventually dying of cancer is increasing among the four sex-race groups and is now greater for males of both races than for their female counterparts For males born in 1985, the chances of eventual death from cancer are almost one in four, and for females, almost one in five With the long-term, downward trends in terms of other causes of death--most specifically, decreases in mortality from cardiovascular diseases--the effect on the population at large is greater longevity This situation, in turn, leaves more people longer time to be exposed to cancer risks Thus, while the probabilities of developing or dying of cancer are seen to increase, the increases should be viewed in light of the increasing numbers of people available for such an occurrence(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A prospective surveillance model for rehabilitation for women with breast cancer

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The current model of care for individuals with breast cancer focuses on treatment of the disease, followed by ongoing surveillance to detect recurrence. This approach lacks attention to patients' physical and functional well-being. Breast cancer treatment sequelae can lead to physical impairments and functional limitations. Common impairments include pain, fatigue, upper-extremity dysfunction, lymphedema, weakness, joint arthralgia, neuropathy, weight gain, cardiovascular effects, and osteoporosis. Evidence supports prospective surveillance for early identification and treatment as a means to prevent or mitigate many of these concerns. This article proposes a prospective surveillance model for physical rehabilitation and exercise that can be integrated with disease treatment to create a more comprehensive approach to survivorship health care. The goals of the model are to promote surveillance for common physical impairments and functional limitations associated with breast cancer treatment; to provide education to facilitate early identification of impairments; to introduce rehabilitation and exercise intervention when physical impairments are identified; and to promote and support physical activity and exercise behaviors through the trajectory of disease treatment and survivorship. METHODS: The model is the result of a multidisciplinary meeting of research and clinical experts in breast cancer survivorship and representatives of relevant professional and advocacy organizations. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: The proposed model identifies time points during breast cancer care for assessment of and education about physical impairments. Ultimately, implementation of the model may influence incidence and severity of breast cancer treatment-related physical impairments. As such, the model seeks to optimize function during and after treatment and positively influence a growing survivorship community. (Less)

Cancer statistics for adults aged 85 years and older, 2019

Abstract: Adults aged 85 years and older, the "oldest old," are the fastest-growing age group in the United States, yet relatively little is known about their cancer burden. Combining data from the National Cancer Institute, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, and the National Center for Health Statistics, the authors provide comprehensive information on cancer occurrence in adults aged 85 years and older. In 2019, there will be approximately 140,690 cancer cases diagnosed and 103,250 cancer deaths among the oldest old in the United States. The most common cancers in these individuals (lung, breast, prostate, and colorectum) are the same as those in the general population. Overall cancer incidence rates peaked in the oldest men and women around 1990 and have subsequently declined, with the pace accelerating during the past decade. These trends largely reflect declines in cancers of the prostate and colorectum and, more recently, cancers of the lung among men and the breast among women. We note differences in trends for some cancers in the oldest age group (eg, lung cancer and melanoma) compared with adults aged 65 to 84 years, which reflect elevated risks in the oldest generations. In addition, cancers in the oldest old are often more advanced at diagnosis. For example, breast and colorectal cancers diagnosed in patients aged 85 years and older are about 10% less likely to be diagnosed at a local stage compared with those diagnosed in patients aged 65 to 84 years. Patients with cancer who are aged 85 years and older have the lowest relative survival of any age group, with the largest disparities noted when cancer is diagnosed at advanced stages. They are also less likely to receive surgical treatment for their cancers; only 65% of breast cancer patients aged 85 years and older received surgery compared with 89% of those aged 65 to 84 years. This difference may reflect the complexities of treating older patients, including the presence of multiple comorbidities, functional declines, and cognitive impairment, as well as competing mortality risks and undertreatment. More research on cancer in the oldest Americans is needed to improve outcomes and anticipate the complex health care needs of this rapidly growing population.

Declining death rates reflect progress against cancer.

Abstract: 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.