In 2011, the American Cancer Society estimated 1,596,670 new cancer cases and 571,950 cancer deaths in the United States. Overall cancer incidence rates in men remained stable after a 1.9% annual decline from 2001 to 2005, while in women, incidence rates declined by 0.6% annually since 1998. Cancer death rates decreased in all racial/ethnic groups for both men and women from 1998 to 2007, except for American Indian/Alaska Native women. African American and Hispanic men showed the largest annual decreases in cancer death rates. Lung cancer death rates in women declined significantly after increasing since the 1930s. Since 1990, cancer death rates in men and women have decreased, avoiding about 898,000 cancer deaths. However, progress has not been equal for all populations. Cancer death rates for individuals with the least education are more than twice those of the most educated. Eliminating educational and racial disparities could have avoided about 37% (60,370) of premature cancer deaths among individuals aged 25 to 64 years in 2007. Progress can be accelerated by applying existing cancer control knowledge across all populations, especially those in the lowest socioeconomic bracket. Cancer is a major public health problem in the United States and globally. In 2011, about 57,650 cases of carcinoma in situ of the female breast and 53,360 melanoma in situ were expected to be diagnosed. The most common cancers in 2011 were prostate, lung and bronchus, and colorectal in men, and breast, lung and bronchus, and colorectal in women. Cancer death rates for men and women decreased from 1998 to 2007, with lung cancer death rates in women beginning to decline for the first time in recorded history. The reduction in cancer death rates since 1990 in men and 1991 in women translates to the avoidance of about 898,000 deaths. Cancer incidence and death rates varied by race and ethnicity, with African American men having a 14% higher incidence rate and a 33% higher death rate than white men. African American women had a 6% lower incidence rate but a 17% higher death rate than white women. Cancer death rates for African American men remained substantially higher than those among white men and twice those of Hispanic men. Cancer survival rates were lower for African American men and women compared to whites. The 5-year relative survival rate was lower for African Americans than whites for nearly every cancer site. Cancer survival rates improved over time for many cancer sites, with theIn 2011, the American Cancer Society estimated 1,596,670 new cancer cases and 571,950 cancer deaths in the United States. Overall cancer incidence rates in men remained stable after a 1.9% annual decline from 2001 to 2005, while in women, incidence rates declined by 0.6% annually since 1998. Cancer death rates decreased in all racial/ethnic groups for both men and women from 1998 to 2007, except for American Indian/Alaska Native women. African American and Hispanic men showed the largest annual decreases in cancer death rates. Lung cancer death rates in women declined significantly after increasing since the 1930s. Since 1990, cancer death rates in men and women have decreased, avoiding about 898,000 cancer deaths. However, progress has not been equal for all populations. Cancer death rates for individuals with the least education are more than twice those of the most educated. Eliminating educational and racial disparities could have avoided about 37% (60,370) of premature cancer deaths among individuals aged 25 to 64 years in 2007. Progress can be accelerated by applying existing cancer control knowledge across all populations, especially those in the lowest socioeconomic bracket. Cancer is a major public health problem in the United States and globally. In 2011, about 57,650 cases of carcinoma in situ of the female breast and 53,360 melanoma in situ were expected to be diagnosed. The most common cancers in 2011 were prostate, lung and bronchus, and colorectal in men, and breast, lung and bronchus, and colorectal in women. Cancer death rates for men and women decreased from 1998 to 2007, with lung cancer death rates in women beginning to decline for the first time in recorded history. The reduction in cancer death rates since 1990 in men and 1991 in women translates to the avoidance of about 898,000 deaths. Cancer incidence and death rates varied by race and ethnicity, with African American men having a 14% higher incidence rate and a 33% higher death rate than white men. African American women had a 6% lower incidence rate but a 17% higher death rate than white women. Cancer death rates for African American men remained substantially higher than those among white men and twice those of Hispanic men. Cancer survival rates were lower for African American men and women compared to whites. The 5-year relative survival rate was lower for African Americans than whites for nearly every cancer site. Cancer survival rates improved over time for many cancer sites, with the