Cancer Mortality in the South, 1950 to 1980

The overall cancer mortality for white and nonwhite men rose twice as rapidly in the South as in the rest of the nation, largely influenced by the rapid growth in lung cancer mortality among southern men in both race groups, and by the significant increase in prostate cancer mortality among southern, nonwhite men. Although the overall cancer mortality rate among white and nonwhite women in the South remained stable, the relative contributions of cervical and lung cancer changed considerably with time. The proportion of cancer deaths in southern women attributed to cervical cancer decreased by 50% while the proportion ascribed to lung cancer tripled. The South's cancer mortality experience differed substantially from that of the rest of the United States, which suggests that southerners diverge from residents of other parts of the United States in their risk of cancer, and in their access to and use of services for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This study provides information for planning strategies for the reduction of cancer mortality in the South.