The rates for new cancer cases and deaths for all cancers combined continues to decline in the U.S., according to a report that includes new data for the period between 1992 and 1998.

The report, which was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, shows that the incidence rate for all cancers combined - the number of new cancer cases per 100,000 persons per year - declined an average 1.1% per year between 1992 and 1998. This overall trend reversed a pattern of increasing incidence rates between 1973 and 1992. Most of the decline can be attributed to a 2.9% yearly decline in white males and 3.1% yearly decline in black males.

Four cancer sites - lung, prostate, breast, and colorectum - accounted for about 56% of all new cancer cases and were also the leading causes of cancer deaths. Breast cancer accounted for 16.3% of all cancer cases and 7.8% of cancer deaths. Though breast cancer deaths have continued to decline due to improvements in early detection and treatment, breast cancer cases have increased by more than 40% since 1973.