Cancer Deaths Fall 35%, Yet Gaps in Care Persist for Black and Indigenous Communities

U.S. cancer deaths have fallen about 35% over 35 years, saving roughly 5 million lives thanks to improved screening and treatments, but mortality remains higher for African American and American Indian/Alaska Native communities across several cancers. Colorectal cancer has been reduced largely through screening like colonoscopy, yet non-white groups still have lower screening rates; disparities also extend to cervical cancer and access-to-care barriers persist, though patient navigators are helping some patients navigate treatment.