While challenges remain, the Associate Director of the Kentucky Cancer Registry said the state is making continual progress in the reduction of cancer deaths. Tom Tucker’s comments come as the American Cancer Society reported this week a record drop in cancer mortality cases nationally from 2016 to 2017.
Tucker said the Commonwealth’s nationally leading lung cancer incidence rate remains an issue. “Our lung cancer rates remain higher, even though they are going down in males, it’s the women, particularly in the Appalachian area where that is not the case. As for colorectal cancer, we have had some dramatic declines,” noted Tucker.
Like national cancer death rates, Tucker added Kentucky’s cancer mortality figures have also dropped over the past three decades. He says it hasn’t been as great in Kentucky, partly because the state began with a higher rate of cancer.? Tucker said improvements in treatment and increased screening are helping in tackling lung cancer cases across the Commonwealth.
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