DOVER — According to cancer data released Monday by the Division of Public Health, Delaware’s mortality rate for all cancer sites combined improved in most categories during the last decade.

The state remained 15th-highest in the U.S. for the timeframe of 2013-2017, which is unchanged from 2012-2016. Delaware also remained second-highest nationally for all-site cancer incidence during the same period, which may be partly due to the state’s continued increases in early detection and screening. DPH said.

For 2013-2017, the state’s all-site cancer mortality rate (171.0 deaths per 100,000 people) was higher than the U.S. rate (158.3 deaths per 100,000).

From 2003-2007 to 2013-2017 in Delaware, all-site cancer mortality rates decreased 26% among non-Hispanic African American males and 15% among non-Hispanic Caucasian males, yet increased 18% among Hispanic males.

Among Delaware females during the same period, all-site cancer mortality rates decreased 12% among non-Hispanic African Americans, 15% among non-Hispanic Caucasians, and 12% among Hispanics. DPH attributed these decreases to screening and early detection.

The information came from DPH’s report, ‘Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Delaware, 2013-2017”’ which was presented to the Delaware Cancer Consortium on Monday. This year’s report analyzes all-site cancer and eight site-specific cancer types: breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, kidney, leukemia, oral and prostate.