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I noticed that too, my guess is that the amount of people killed by cancer in the total population that has decreased. (example with made up numbers: 1968 has 1000 people, cancer killed 100 of them. 2010 has 2000 people, cancer killed 150 of them, thus it is both a increase and a decrease)

Heart disease is killing fewer people allowing more to reach an age where cancer becomes a major killer. Since cancer treatments have advanced the number of deaths due to cancer looks flat.

Because the graph is not accounting for population increase. The deaths increased, but the population increased even more. The percentage decreased.

Ah yes!! That is why, how silly of me. When put into the context of population increase, it is an incredible decrease in percentage of people who die from cancer.

1968 US Population: 200.71 million

2010 US Population: 309.35 million

That was my takeaway, too. I stared at this particular slide for quite some time because I was sure I must be missing something.