Cancer prevention, screening efforts working, new projections suggest

The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday.

A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.  

“The good news is that more people are surviving with and beyond their cancers,” said lead author Darren Brenner, an associate professor in the oncology and community health sciences departments at the University of Calgary.

The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Monday. The study estimates the number and rates of new cancer cases and deaths expected throughout 2024.

The rates of lung, colorectal and prostate cancers are projected to decrease this year, but less common cancers — including melanoma, liver and kidney cancers and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma —are on the rise, the projections suggest.

Breast cancer incidence rates are relatively stable and mortality rates are decreasing, Brenner said.

“A lot of that has been from the successes in screening approaches with mammography through organized screening programs,” combined with improved treatment options over the years, he said.   

There has been great progress in reducing colorectal cancer cases and deaths, said study co-author Jennifer Gillis, an epidemiologist and senior manager of surveillance at the Canadian Cancer Society.