Decline in cancer deaths, but rise in cancer diagnoses for under Age 50

The new American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures Report is out, and it brings both good news and bad news. The good news is that cancer mortality rates continue to decline. The bad news is that new cancer cases are projected to top two million for 2024. 

Cancer deaths continue to decline “thanks to increased screenings, lower tobacco use, and cancer research that gave us better treatments,” said Dr. Bill Dahut, ACS Chief Scientific Officer AND Pan Ohio Hope Rider when speaking on ABC’s Good Morning America.

As Dr. Dahut shares, this year’s report also revealed that colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in men and the second leading cause in women under 50. This is especially disheartening since regular screenings can detect and even help prevent colon cancer. A polyp in the colon can take years to develop into cancer. With regular screenings, starting at age 45 for “average risk” individuals, doctors can find and remove polyps before they have a chance to turn into cancer. Learn about screenings, detection, prevention, and more at cancer.org/coloncancer.

The American Cancer Society’s 2024 Cancer Facts & Figures Report is an annual report that compiles the most recent data on population-based cancer occurrences and outcomes. Read the full report online.

Ohio Comedian Ricky Smith visits 31 ACS Hope Lodge Communities in 31 Days

Patients, their caregivers, and American Cancer Society team members of the Hope Lodge in Lubbock are pictured with Ricky Smith on the R.A.K.E. tour. (Courtesy Photo via Odessa American Online)

Ohio native, comedian, and founder of Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere (RAKE) Ricky Smith did something astonishing this fall. To celebrate 10 years of RAKE, Ricky visited all 31 American Cancer Society Hope Lodge communities in just 31 days in what he called “The RAKE Gives Hope Tour.”

Ricky was joined at the final stop of his tour at the ACS Hope Lodge in Tampa, Florida, by Good Morning America’s Will Ganss for a Cool to Be Kind segment. Through his tour, the comedian and kindness advocate brought his own brand of joy to Hope Lodge guests while simultaneously helping raise awareness about the Hope Lodge program in local communities across the country.

This GMA story not only shines a spotlight on one of Ohio’s own, it highlights what makes the ACS Hope Lodge Program (cancer.org/hopelodge) so special, which is, of course, why we ride. Proceeds from the 2024 Pan Ohio Hope Ride support the patients and caregivers benefiting from the Cleveland Hope Lodge.

Great job, Ricky, and thank you for being a champion of kindness!