Cancer affects millions of people every year, and some individuals are more likely to develop cancer due to prolonged sun exposure, obesity, health-related behaviors such as smoking cigarettes, alcohol consumption, poor diet, and other physical and environmental factors. Monitoring the incidence of cancer can help identify which groups of people are disproportionately burdened with cancer and spur health care and policy initiatives that promote healthier behaviors, safer environments, and more accessible preventive care services.
State Health Compare provides annual, state-level rates of breast, cervical, lung, and colorectal cancer across all ages per 100,000 population. Estimates can be broken down by five race/ethnicity groups (African American/Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, and White). This measure is based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) online databases.
