A new report from the American Cancer Society shows cancer deaths declined by 29% from 1991 to 2017.

The numbers released in “Cancer Statistics, 2020” also show a 2.2% drop from 2016 to 2017, the largest single-year drop ever recorded, according to American Cancer Society Senior Community Development Manager Kim Durst, “It just goes to show that the research that is taking place, the information that’s being shared about early detection and prevention, the services that are available for patients, laws that are getting passed to protect us from cancer, it’s all working. And through the efforts of American Cancer Society we’re seeing great things happening.”

While lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death, it drove the largest declines in deaths in the past 26 years studied. This progress is due to declines in smoking and advances in early detection and treatment. Though for the three other most common cancers – colorectal, breast, and prostate – their reduction progress has slowed.