Rural Cancer Deaths Declining, But Not as Fast As Urban Cancer Deaths

By Kelly Young

Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS

The reduction in cancer deaths in rural America has not kept pace with reductions in big cities, although overall cancer incidence is lower in rural areas, according to an MMWR article.

Researchers examined cancer and other registry data from 2004 to 2015. While overall cancer incidence was lower in nonmetropolitan areas than metropolitan areas, incident cases of lung, colorectal, and cervical cancer were higher in nonmetropolitan areas. Death rates were higher for these cancers plus prostate cancer in nonmetropolitan areas. Meanwhile, overall age-adjusted cancer deaths decreased 1% annually in nonmetropolitan counties, compared with 1.6% in metropolitan counties.

The authors write: "Differences between nonmetropolitan and metropolitan counties in cancer incidence might reflect differences in risk factors such as cigarette smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity, whereas differences in cancer death rates might reflect disparities in access to health care and timely diagnosis and treatment."