Good news on the health front, as new findings show that in the last 15 years, the cancer rate dropped almost 20%. 650,000 lives were saved due to better prevention, treatment, and early detection.

In men, the death rate plunged 19.2% and in women, around 11.4%. Decreased deaths from breast cancer made up a big part of the overall decrease in women’s cancers.

Experts say that although these American Cancer Society stats show things looking up, there is still a lot of work to be done. They remind us that there will be up to 1.5 million new cancer patients in the U.S. in 2009, with 562,340 of those people expected to die from the disease.

Death rates from some cancers are falling, like breast and colon cancer, but the death rates from pancreatic, liver, and esophageal cancer are rising, and the medical community blames this on the obesity rate in America.

Inspired by the advances made in cancer over the past few years and want to see what you can do? See how you can help cancer patients and prevent cancer in your community.