The 2008 Cancer Statistics report estimates 1.437 million new cancer cases and 565,650 cancer deaths in the United States. Cancer incidence rates have stabilized for both men and women, while death rates have decreased since 1990 for men and 1991 for women. Overall, cancer death rates decreased by 18.4% in men and 10.5% in women between 1990 and 2004, preventing over half a million cancer deaths. The report highlights trends in cancer incidence and mortality by site, sex, race/ethnicity, education, geographic area, and calendar year. Despite progress in reducing mortality and improving survival, cancer remains the leading cause of death among people under 85. The report also examines cancer survival by race, showing poorer survival rates among African Americans compared to Whites. Cancer survival has improved for many sites, but disparities persist. In children, cancer is the second leading cause of death between ages 1 and 14, with leukemia being the most common. The report notes limitations in the estimates, including variations due to data collection delays and changes in methodology. The preferred data sources for tracking cancer trends are age-standardized death rates from the National Center for Health Statistics and cancer incidence rates from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. The report emphasizes the need for continued research and application of cancer control knowledge to further reduce cancer burden.The 2008 Cancer Statistics report estimates 1.437 million new cancer cases and 565,650 cancer deaths in the United States. Cancer incidence rates have stabilized for both men and women, while death rates have decreased since 1990 for men and 1991 for women. Overall, cancer death rates decreased by 18.4% in men and 10.5% in women between 1990 and 2004, preventing over half a million cancer deaths. The report highlights trends in cancer incidence and mortality by site, sex, race/ethnicity, education, geographic area, and calendar year. Despite progress in reducing mortality and improving survival, cancer remains the leading cause of death among people under 85. The report also examines cancer survival by race, showing poorer survival rates among African Americans compared to Whites. Cancer survival has improved for many sites, but disparities persist. In children, cancer is the second leading cause of death between ages 1 and 14, with leukemia being the most common. The report notes limitations in the estimates, including variations due to data collection delays and changes in methodology. The preferred data sources for tracking cancer trends are age-standardized death rates from the National Center for Health Statistics and cancer incidence rates from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. The report emphasizes the need for continued research and application of cancer control knowledge to further reduce cancer burden.