Among men, the least educated died of cancer at rates more than 2 times that of men with college degrees, the latest data show. In the early 1990s, they died at two times the rate of most-educated men.
For women, the numbers aren't as complete but suggest a widening gap also. The data, from 2007, compared people between the ages of 25 and 64.
People with college degrees are seeing a significant drop in cancer death rates, while people who have spent less time in school are seeing more modest improvements or sometimes none at all, explained Elizabeth Ward, who oversees research done by the cancer society.
