The first section of the book, Rates, uses tables to show cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates. It uses charts to show how these rates have changed over time. Also included are international cancer statistics so readers can compare U. S. rates to those of other countries. The second section, Risks, is a collection of chapters by NCI experts on environmental and genetic risk factors.
Some chapters discuss which cancers are associated with a specific risk factor.
Other chapters discuss which known risk factors are associated with a specific cancer site. Every chapter includes a comprehensive bibliography that readers can use as a starting point to learn more about each of the topics covered. The latest edition is about twice the size of the previous edition and synthesizes much of what scientists have learned during the past 10 years about cancer risks. The book also could be useful to scientists who want to communicate information about cancer risk factors to the general public.