Cancer is a leading cause of death in the Unites States. Several factors have affected cancer death rates over time. Look at the two graphs below (you have likely seen them before). What type of tumor is represented by each line? What factors go into cancer death rates?

Cancer death rates are affected by several things such as environmental factors, early diagnosis, better treatment, and increasing life expectancy (do to decreases in deaths by other causes such as infectious diseases). Note that lung cancer is tightly correlated with tobacco use. Stomach cancer had declined over time due to better food storage (e.g. refrigeration). Colorectal cancer has remained relatively steady until recently with the development of better screening tools for early detection.