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PHOM Indicator Profile Report of Cancer Deaths

Why Is This Important?

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in both the U.S. and in Utah. A cancer diagnosis places a significant burden on the social, emotional, financial, and mental wellbeing of patients. The financial costs of cancer are substantial both for patients and health care systems on the whole. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) estimates that the direct medical costs (total of all health care costs) for cancer in the US in 2015 were $80.2 billion.^1^ Cancer comes in many different forms. Cancers generally develop over several years and can have many causes. Several factors both inside and outside the body may contribute to the development of cancer. Some of these factors include genetic mutations, tobacco and alcohol use, poor diet, obesity, physical inactivity, and excessive sunlight exposure. Other factors may include exposure to ionizing radiation and environmental chemicals that may be present in the workplace, food, air, or water such as asbestos, benzene, and arsenic. --- 1 Economic Impact of Cancer, American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/economic-impact-of-cancer.html

Cancer Death Rate, Utah and U.S., 1999-2020

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Data Sources

  • Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health
  • Population Estimates: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2020
  • U.S. Cancer Statistics: WONDER Online Database. United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Cancer Institute. Accessed at [http://wonder.cdc.gov/cancer.html]

Data Notes

ICD-10 codes C00-C97. Age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population.

Risk Factors

Increasing age is a risk factor for developing cancer. More than 87% of all cancers are diagnosed in persons aged 50 years or older. Other risk factors for cancer include a person's gender and family medical history. Cancer may also be linked to environmental exposures and lifestyle choices such as use of tobacco and alcohol, diet, and sun exposure. In fact, tobacco use remains the world's most preventable cause of death. Despite decades of declines in cigarette smoking prevalence, almost one-third (32%) of cancer deaths in the U.S. and as much as 40% in men in some Southern states are still caused by smoking.^1^[[br]] [[br]] ---- 1. American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures 2018, p.44.

How Are We Doing?

The age-adjusted cancer mortality rate in Utah has generally decreased over the last 30 years. In 2020, the age-adjusted cancer mortality rate in Utah was 119.5 deaths per 100,000 people, down from a rate of 131.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010. There are differences in cancer mortality rates throughout Utah based on geography, race, ethnicity, age, and sex. For years 2018-2020, the Tooele County Local Health District (LHD) had the highest cancer mortality rate (141.6 deaths per 100,000 persons) in the state compared to other LHDs, while the Summit County LHD had the lowest (89.5 deaths per 100,000 persons). Differences in cancer mortality rates can also be seen within each LHD at the Utah Small Area level (see Small Area Data View). Non-Hispanic persons had a significantly higher rate of cancer mortality (117.2 deaths per 100,000 persons) than Hispanic persons (91.1 deaths per 100,000 persons), based on age-adjusted data from 2018-2020. For that same time period, those who racially identify as Black and Pacific Islander had the highest rates of cancer mortality (135.2 deaths per 100,000 persons and 166.4 deaths per 100,000 persons, respectively) when compared to all other races, while those who identify as Asian or American Indian/Alaskan Native had a significantly lower rate of cancer mortality (75.7 deaths per 100,000 persons and 71.7 deaths per 100,000 persons, respectively; both are statistically significant) compared to all other races. The rate of cancer death significantly increases with age, regardless of sex. For ages 0-54, women are more likely to die as a result of cancer than men, though after age 55, men are more likely to die as a result of cancer than women. See additional data views for more detailed information.

What Is Being Done?

The Utah Comprehensive Cancer Control program (CCC) and its affiliated coalition, the Utah Cancer Action Network (UCAN), work together with state and local partners to reduce the burden of cancer in Utah. Their mission is to lower cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality in Utah through collaborative efforts directed toward cancer prevention and control. As a result, they support community-based strategies around food security, healthy neighborhoods, access to health care, and financial toxicity in order to prevent cancer; detect cancer early; and improve the lives of cancer survivors, caregivers, and their families.

Healthy People Objective: Reduce the overall cancer death rate

U.S. Target: 161.4 deaths per 100,000 population

Date Indicator Content Last Updated: 04/14/2022


Other Views

The information provided above is from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services IBIS-PH web site (http://ibis.health.state.gov). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Fri, 29 March 2024 3:18:05 from Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.state.gov ".

Content updated: Thu, 10 Nov 2022 17:33:30 MST