Cancer Deaths measures the three-year average, age-adjusted number of deaths attributed to cancer per 100,000 population. Ranks are based on the most recently available 3 years of data from the National Center for Health Statistics and CDC. The rates are age-adjusted using NCHS’s bridged-race estimates of the July 1 resident population from the 2008 county-level postcensal series. The following ICD-10 codes were used: C00-C97 (Malignant neoplasms), D00-D09 (In situ neoplasms), D37-D48 (Neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behavior).

 

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and the cancer death measure is an indication of the toll it places on the population[1]. Cancer kills over half a million people a year and costs over $48 billion in direct medical costs[2]. Significant opportunities exist to reduce the risk of developing some cancers and to prevent others. The CDC estimates that one third of all cancer deaths are attributable to tobacco use and another third are attributable to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and obesity[3]. Other types of cancer such as colon and cervical may be preventable through vaccinations, screening or early detection. More information on the cancer burden in the U.S. is available at http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/dcpc.htm.