Study: Cancer Death Rates Down For Wealthy Regions, Up For Poor Areas

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Cancer death rates have declined over the last 34 years according to a sweeping new study, but it also found that Americans in certain struggling parts of the country, are dying from cancer at increasing rates.

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This was a county by county analysis of deadly cancer dating back to 1980. More than 19 million people have died from cancer since then. This study showed that survival often depends on where you live and is related to socioeconomic factors.

Better cancer screenings and treatments are credited with saving lives. The new study says that overall death rate from cancer went down about 20 percent since 1980. "We find cancers earlier. We prevent cancers," said Dr. Dale Shepard of the Cleveland Clinic. "Once people have cancers, we have much more effective therapies."

However, the new study shows that not all Americans have benefited from the medical advances in cancer care. In parts of the country that are relatively poor, and have higher rates of obesity and smoking, cancer death rates rose nearly 50 percent.

Wealthier pockets of the country saw cancer death rates fall by nearly half.

"There's really some striking differences," Dr. Shepard said. "Whether that's environmental factors that might be leading to increased cancer, decreased access to care."

Eastern Kentucky had a 45 percent increase in cancer deaths, while the Colorado ski country had the fewest.

Smoking, obesity, physical activity and income explains many of the disparities. "I think the big picture is that we truly have a long way to go to actually not only provide access to care, but quality care to everyone."

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According to the study, the success of battling cancer depended primarily on early detection and treatment.