Around the States:

• CDC Releases 2005 Report on Health Behaviors and Conditions by State (06/29/06)
• Wisconsin to Provide Cancer Treatment Access (04/06/06)
• Kansas Creates Cancer Drug Repository (05/06/05)

Overview
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cancer is the second most common cause of death in the U.S., surpassed only by heart disease. 1 in every 4 deaths in the U.S. is cancer-related. Cancer diagnoses and death rates, while varying by cancer type, are fairly consistent between men and women. More than 10 million Americans are currently living with a previous diagnosis of cancer. ^[i]

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines cancer as a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, death is likely. Cancer is caused by both external and internal factors. External factors include tobacco, chemicals or radiation, while internal factors include inherited mutations, hormones or immune conditions. ^[ii] ACS has determined nearly 1,400,000 new cancer diagnoses will be made in 2006. This number does not include the nearly 1 million additional diagnoses of basal or squamous cell skin cancers. ^[i]

ACS estimates more than 564,000 deaths will be attributed to cancer in 2006; about 170,000 cancer deaths will be attributed to tobacco use alone. More than one-third of the more than 564,000 deaths are linked to preventable causes such as physical inactivity, nutrition, and obesity. ^[ii]

The National Institutes of Health estimates the overall cost of cancer to be $209.9 billion in 2005, but specifically:

• $74 billion on direct medical costs, including health expenditures,
• $17.5 billion on indirect costs associated with lost productivity due to illness, and
• $118.6 billion on indirect costs associated with lost productivity due to premature deaths. ^[i]

Comprehensive Cancer Control
The CDC-supported comprehensive cancer control program is a collaborative process that is vital to saving lives and the billions of dollars spent on treatment costs and loss of productivity. This process, in which a community and its partners pool resources, promotes cancer prevention, improved cancer detection, increased access to health and social services, and reducing the incidence, mortality and risk of all cancers among all people.

The comprehensive cancer control program's approach contributes to reduction in cancer risk by utilizing education and through early detection and screening, and enhancing survivorship and quality of life through treatment advancements and research. These efforts are further enhanced when complemented with public-private partnerships, cooperative agreements, or linkages with state, national, regional, and local organizations. ^[iii]

This project is possible with support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

1. CDC, U.S. Cancer Statistics 2002 Incidence and Mortality, http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr/uscs/pdf/2002_USCS.pdf.
2. American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures 2006, http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2006PWSecured.pdf.
3. CDC, Comprehensive Cancer Control, http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ncccp/.

State Cancer Program Links: