U.S. Has World's Seventh Highest Cancer Rate

US Pharm. 2011;36(3)(Oncology suppl):9.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), the U.S. ranks seventh in cancer rates worldwide. Approximately 300 out of every 100,000 Americans develop cancer every year. In Denmark, which experiences the world's highest cancer rate, 326 out of every 100,000 people get cancer every year. The U.S. ranks 10th in the world for cancers in men and eighth, alongside Denmark, for cancers in women. 

Overall, the rankings show that high-income countries have significantly higher cancer rates than lower-income countries. One reason is that high-income countries are better at diagnosing and recording new cases of cancer, but AICR experts believe that lifestyle also plays a significant role. “We know that people in high-income countries are more likely to be overweight, to drink more alcohol and to be inactive,” said AICR nutritionist Alice Bender, MS, RD. “The good news is that the high incidence rates in the US and other high-income countries are not inevitable; lifestyle changes can make a real difference to people's risk,” she said.