View the interactive graphic: Cancer in Idaho
The Cancer Data Registry of Idaho collects data on cancer incidence and survival in Idaho, and demographic traits of cancer patients. Hospitals, individual doctors, radiation treatment centers, and others who provide care to cancer patients report data to the Cancer Data Registry, which gathers further information from death certificates and other data registries. All of this is done with the goals of monitoring cancer trends, providing data to assist researchers, and identifying groups at especially high risk of developing cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, half of men and one third of women in the U.S. will develop cancer within their lifetime. The interactive chart Cancer in Idaho shows how the incidences of different kinds of cancer in Idaho vary across health district, gender, and age group. It also shows how mortality rates vary between different types of cancer. While the statistics may seem bleak, it is important to note that more and more people, especially children, are surviving cancer. The American Cancer Society notes that there are approximately 12 million people alive in the U.S. today who have had cancer.
Understanding the incidences and mortality rates of cancer in a population helps researchers focus their work to gain understanding about the disease and the potential for a cure. Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in Idaho. Dr. Cheryl Jorcyk is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and cancer researcher at Boise State University. About 8 years ago in collaboration with the Boise VA Medical Center, Dr. Jorcyk started studying the cellular factor Oncostatin M and its function in tumor progression. Currently, her lab is focused on studying the role of Oncostatin M in breast cancer metastasis to bone and other organs and hopes to develop a novel therapy.
To explore the data further, visit our interactive graphic Cancer in Idaho
Briefing by Carole Nemnich and April Hoy
Interactive graphic by April Hoy