Recent years have seen a meaningful decline in the rate of occurrence of cancer among Israelis, according to Dr. Micha Bar-Hana, who is in charge of cancer statistics in the Ministry of Health.
Statistics show that cancer among women declined 13 percent between 2000 and 2006, and seven percent among men. Cancer deaths in the general population were down 11 percent from 1998 to 2004.
The decline in cancer rates was more prominent in some types of cancer than others. Breast cancer in women and cancer of the large intestine in both sexes were down most sharply. Lung cancer, prostate cancer, throat and stomach cancer were also down.
However, instances of metastasized breast cancer have become more prevalent during this time, as have melanoma, brain cancer, urinary bladder cancer, lymphoma and female lung cancer. Cancer rates were up in the Arab population, but the rate among Arabs was still significantly lower than that in the Jewish population.
Bar-Hana said there was no single explanation for the statistics.
The decline in breast cancer may reflect the decrease in the use of hormone substitutes, Bar-Hana said. The decline in cancer of the large intestine may be due to increased use of colonoscopy, he added, and said the decline in lung and throat cancer may be the result of increased public awareness of the dangers of smoking.