Rural areas lag behind in cancer treatment and prevention – even as rich, urban areas increasingly leave dying from cancer in the rearview

Cancer deaths in the US have dropped steeply since 1991. But the medical and public health advances leading to these declines have been concentrated among high-income areas.

By: Arthur Cosby, Mississippi State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 17, 2026

Words: 1,153

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Arthur Cosby, Mississippi State University

Cancer in the United States experienced a dramatic turnaround in 1991. Prior to that year, cancer deaths had been increasing for decades, peaking at 215 deaths per 100,000 people, meaning about 1 in 4 deaths were attributed to cancer. Then it began to consistently decline, decreasing by 34% between 1991 and 2022. This amounted to an estimated 4.5 million fewer cancer deaths during that period.

When the …

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