Texas Health Atlas

Chapter 4: Cancer

4 Cancer CANCER IS THE OUT-OF-CONTROL GROWTH of abnormal cells and accounts for nearly one of every four deaths in the United States. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. According to the American Cancer Society (2010), cancer will strike one of two men and one of three women in the United States at some time in their lives and will soon become the leading medical cause of death in the nation. The 2009 estimate for cancer-related deaths in the United States was more than 560,000, and in Texas the estimate was 36,000 (ACS 2010; Chustecka 2010). This chapter spotlights nine common yet dreadful cancers : breast, cervical, colon, leukemia, lung, lymphoma, melanoma, ovarian, and prostate. The most striking spatial pattern of these cancers is the six areas of high rates of cancer in East Texas, especially lung cancer, and, to lesser degrees, colon, leukemia, melanoma, ovarian, and prostate. Such a unique clustering of the six cancers may suggest that research should be undertaken to determine contributing factors, perhaps including low educational attainment; low family income; high poverty level; lack of health insurance; inadequate access to health-care facilities ; environmental conditions and hazards, including paper and pulp mills (SRS 2005) and petrochemical plants (EIA 2010); and geographic isolation. The highest concentration of rural blacks corresponds roughly to this East Texas cancer clustering (DSHS 2008b; Claritas 2008). If detected and diagnosed early enough, many of these types of cancers can be treated and managed. Besides being cognizant of their family histories regarding cancer, people can help in prevention or early detection of some of these cancers, particularly lung (quit smoking), melanoma (stay out of direct sunlight and tanning salons), colon (change diet; have a colonoscopy), cervical (get the HPV vaccine; have a Pap smear), and breast (do a self-exam; have a mammogram). Today in the United States, more than two of three people stricken with cancer survive longer than five years, and more than 11 million cancer survivors are still alive (ACS 2010; NCI 2010; MDA 2010). 66 Sources: Texas Department of State Health Services, 2008b; Texas State Data Center, Population Estimates and Projections Program, 2003, 2006; US Census Bureau, 2000a. Breast Cancer Total Population Mean Number of Patients Mean Number of Patients per 100,000 Population 2000–2003 2004–2007 Notes: 1. The maps display data from the ICD-9 code 174. 2. The mean number of patients for each county was 23.83 per year for 2000–2003 and 20.71 for 2004–2007. 3. Rates per 100,000 were calculated using the mean of the total populations for 2000–2003 and for 2004–2007. 4. The statewide mean for the ratio of patients per 100,000 was 31.07 for 2000–2003 and 24.93 for 2004–2007. 67 Breast Cancer White Population Sources: Texas Department of State Health Services, 2008b; Texas State Data Center, Population Estimates and Projections Program, 2003, 2006; US Census Bureau, 2000a. 2000–2003 2004–2007 Mean Number of Patients Mean Number of Patients per 100,000 Population Notes: 1. The maps display data from the ICD-9 code 174. 2. The mean number of white patients for each county was 15.95 per year for 2000– 2003 and 13.34 for 2004–2007. 3. Rates per 100,000 were calculated using the mean of the total white populations for 2000–2003 and for 2004–2007. 4. The statewide mean for the ratio of white patients per 100,000 was 37.72 for 2000– 2003 and 31.13 for 2004–2007. 68 Breast Cancer Hispanic Population Mean Number of Patients Mean Number of Patients per 100,000 Population 2000–2003 2004–2007 Notes: 1. The maps display data from the ICD-9 code 174. 2. The mean number of Hispanic patients for each county was 3.69 per year for 2000– 2003 and 3.56 for 2004–2007. 3. Rates per 100,000 were calculated using the mean of the total Hispanic populations for 2000–2003 and for 2004–2007. 4. The statewide mean for the ratio of Hispanic patients per 100,000 was 11.42 for 2000–2003 and 10.75 for 2004–2007. Sources: Texas Department of State Health Services, 2008b; Texas State Data Center, Population Estimates and Projections Program, 2003, 2006; US Census Bureau, 2000a. 69 Breast Cancer Black Population 2000–2003 2004...