News Release
10/18/96

Michigan Cancer Incidence Declines

Eight percent fewer cases of cancer were diagnosed among Michigan residents in 1994 than in 1993, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) said in a report released today. In 1994, 41,762 new cases of cancer were diagnosed. That is 3,475 fewer than the 45,237 diagnosed in 1993.

The 1994 Cancer Incidence and Mortality Report showed that the cancer rate declined from 423.2 cases per 100,000 population in 1993 to 388.6 per 100,000 in 1994. The incidence rates of three of the four leading cancer sites--prostate, breast, and colon cancer--declined in recent years. Rates of lung cancer showed signs of leveling off after years of steady increases.

"This is promising news considering that cancer is a major cause of disease and death among Michigan residents," said MDCH Director James K. Haveman, Jr.

Prostate cancer -- the most frequent site of new cancers in 1994 -- showed the greatest decline in incidence, falling from 189.2 cases per 100,000 men in 1993 to 149.5 in 1994, a decrease of 21%. This was the second year in which prostate cancer declined. The prostate cancer mortality rate fell by nearly 11%, from 29.0 in 1993 to 25.4 in 1994. It rose slightly to 26.2 in 1995 but is considered stable. The 1995 mortality data are available earlier this year because of faster tabulation by the MDCH Office of the State Registrar. Incidence data for 1995 are not yet available. Full 1995 data will be reported after tabulation and analysis are completed in late 1997.

Current rates of lung cancer, the second leading site for new cancer cases, reflect the number of people who smoked 20 to 30 years ago. The lung cancer rate in 1994 was 59.4 new cases per 100,000 population, down from 64.3 in 1993. This rate has been leveling off since 1989. Lung cancer death rates remained stable, ranging from 52.6 in 1993 to 50.2 in 1994 and 51.6 in 1995.

In an effort to decrease future smoking-related cancers and other diseases caused by smoking, Michigan is one of 17 states participating in the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST), the largest project ever undertaken to reduce tobacco use in the United States. A seven-year project, ASSIST is supported by the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society. The program aims to reduce tobacco use from the current level of 25% to less than 15% by the year 2000.

Incidence rates of malignant breast cancer in women -- the third leading cancer site in 1994 -- declined slightly between 1993 and 1994, from 108.8 to 103.6 cases per 100,000 population. This continues the decline in the rate of new breast cancer diagnoses observed since 1990. The mortality rate was 25.3 in 1993, then rose slightly to 27.1 in 1994, and 27.5 in 1995. Most of the increase in 1994 occurred among older women. Rates continued to decline among women under 50 years of age. It is not clear if these changes in mortality are primarily related to changes in screening, treatment or risk factors.

Colon cancer was the fourth leading cancer in Michigan in 1994. The rate of new colon cancer cases continued the trend of a slow steady decline in incidence. Between 1993 and 1994 the rate declined from 32.5 to 31.4 cases per 100,000 population. The mortality rate for colon cancer also continued a clear trend, declining from 15.3 in 1993 to 15.1 in 1994 and 14.9 in 1995.

For additional information, please contact the following:

Cancer Statistics - Peter DeGuire, Office of the State Registrar and Division of Health Statistics, (517) 335-8703

Tobacco - John Beasley, Center for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, (517) 335-8376.

Cancer Control - Carol Callaghan, Center for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, (517) 335-9161.