Final answer:
Men have higher cancer death rates than women, with declines in death rates due to factors like reduced smoking. Lung cancer, highly linked to cigarette smoking, causes the most deaths despite not being the most prevalent cancer because of its aggressive nature and late diagnosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference in cancer death rates between men and women can be determined from statistical data. Based on the information given, men have higher cancer death rates than women. This is evidenced by the decreasing rates of cancer deaths, which from 2006 to 2010, decreased by 1.8% per year in men and by 1.4% per year in women. The decrease in cancer death rates is attributed to various factors, including reductions in smoking rates which have greatly impacted the rates of lung cancer, the most deadly of cancers due to its nature and late diagnosis.
Lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths, despite not being the most common type of cancer, largely because of its relationship with cigarette smoking. The risks of smoking are well-documented, with smokers having a significantly higher risk of dying from lung cancer compared to non-smokers. Furthermore, the effects of smoking on lung cancer deaths can take up to 20 years to manifest.
Variances in cancer types also contribute to different rates between genders. The most common cancer in men is prostate cancer, while in women it is breast cancer. However, lung cancer remains the second most common and the most lethal in both genders, primarily affecting those who smoke.