According to recent data from the USA, the lifetime probability of being diagnosed with cancer is about 44% for men and about 38% for women. In other words, almost one in two men and more than one in three women will develop cancer during their lifetime.
Yet, it is important to note that during the last decade a decrease in cancer incidence rates (i.e. fewer new cancer cases diagnosed each year) has been observed among men, owing to a rapid decline in colorectal, prostate and lung cancers. Among women, although colorectal cancer declines are similar to those in men, the lung cancer rate has been slow to decline while breast cancer incidence has remained the same.
On the other hand, over the past two decades (from the beginning of the 1990s) there has been a steady decline in cancer mortality rates among both males and females. This decline in cancer mortality is attributed to the advances in prevention, early detection and treatment (including the implementation of comprehensive tobacco control), being introduced during this time period.
And what about the Israeli population?
According to the Israeli National Cancer Registry, 40% of all Jewish men (1 in 2.5) and 35% of all Jewish women (1 in 3) will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. As regards the Israeli Arab population, 34% of all Israeli Arab men (1 in 3) and 25% of all Israeli Arab women (1 in 4) will be diagnosed with the disease.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer occurring in men while breast cancer is the most common cancer occurring in women (similar to the USA data).
Regarding time trends, during the last two decades cancer rates have remained stable among the Israeli Jewish population, as opposed to an increase in the rate of new cancer cases diagnosed among the Israeli Arab population during the same period of time.
On the other hand, with respect to mortality rates, a decline in cancer mortality has been observed among the Israeli Jewish population (both male and female) as well as among Israeli Arab women. Again, this decline is attributed to the introduction of preventive methods and early detection and treatment being introduced during this time period.
References:
Siegel R. et al (2014) Cancer Statistics, 2014. CA Cancer J. Clin. 64:9-29
משרד הבריאות, רישום סרטן לאומי: היארעות ותמותה מסרטן בישראל 1990-2010
