May 22, 2023 - Health

Map: Fewer cancer deaths in Pennsylvania

Data: American Cancer Society; Note: Death rate is computed as the average of the male and female rates; Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

Cancer deaths have fallen in every congressional district in the U.S., typically between 20% and 45% among males and a 10% and 40% among females, over the past quarter century, according to a study published in the journal Cancer.

  • But health disparities remain.

Methodology: Researchers used county-level cancer death counts and population data from the National Center for Health Statistics dating back to 1996, Axios' Tina Reed reports.

Zoom in: In Philadelphia, cancer remains the second leading cause of death after heart disease, per the city's latest health report.

  • Pennsylvania's cancer deaths declined between 17%-49% across its congressional districts over the same period.

By the numbers: Lung cancer saw the biggest drops among men, declining between 21%–72% since 1996.

  • Female breast cancer deaths dropped between 14% and 58% depending on the district.

Yes, but: The study found "substantial" disparities. For instance, the fall in cancer deaths was steepest among Black men, but overall cancer mortality is substantially higher among the Black population.

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