It may be too soon to declare a trend after a two-year decline in cancer deaths. It's a good sign, however, that we are going the right way in diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, and it is imperative that the war against it continue on all fronts.

What can help:

— Mammograms, tests for colorectal cancer, and other screenings save lives through early detection. They must be made available to people without health insurance who need them.

• New treatments — the drug Herceptin for breast cancer, for instance — show promise in preventing the recurrence of cancer. Research and clinical trials to find the best cancer-fighting drugs must be a priority.

• Increased public education has encouraged many people to avoid cancer with healthier eating habits, more active lifestyles, and self-examinations. Routine self-exams help women find breast cancer early, when it is most treatable.

• Reductions in carcinogens such as cigarette smoke in the environment and efforts to curb industrial pollution also have reduced cancer cases.

In that, government has played a role.

No-smoking ordinances reduce people's exposure to cigarette smoke. Higher cigarette taxes encourage smokers to quit and keep young people from starting.

In most cases, cancer is no longer a "death sentence." Combined efforts by the public, the medical community and governments can ensure further progress in the future.