The annual report on cancer in Iowa shows the number of cases in Iowa holding about the same, but the number of cancer survivors is increasing. Charles Lynch is the director of the Iowa Cancer Registry at the University of Iowa. He says cancer will continue to be the second leading cause of death in Iowa, and he says they expect to see 15-thousand-200 new cases of cancer in Iowa, and six-thousand-500 deaths in Iowa this year. Dr. Lynch, a professor of epidemiology at the U-of-I, and says there are four main cancers. Female breast, prostate, lung and colo-rectal cancer account for over 50-percent of all newly diagnosed cancers and over 50-percent of cancer deaths. He says prostate cancer is the most common in men, breast cancer is the most common in woman, and lung cancer is the top for overall deaths in Iowa. Lynch says efforts to stop the impact of cancer are working. He says we’re beginning to see declines in cancer deaths for the four major types, as well as four targeted types of cancer. Lynch talks more about the decreases in cancer deaths. He says we’re seeing about a 20-percent decline and in breast and prostate cancer deaths, the top two cancers in men and women. Lynch says every Iowan can help keep the improvement going.He says a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that lifestyle habits — specifically tobacco use, diet , physical inactivity and alcohol consumption account for over 900-thousand deaths annually in this country. He says these are lifestyle factors that individuals control. Lynch says you hold the key to improving your own health. He says adopt a healthy diet, exercise more and use alcohol in moderation. Lynch says if we do these things we will continue to see declines in mortality, and fewer people will be diagnosed with cancer. Lynch says you can also help yourself by following the guidelines and getting the proper screening tests for cancer when required. He says they increase the likelihood that you’ll be diagnosed with cancer in its early development, and he says most cancer in its early development is very treatable. He says the early treatment would dramatically reduce your chances of dying from cancer.
