Cancer is the second leading cause of death in both the United States and Utah. The financial costs of cancer are substantial. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimates the direct medical costs for cancer in the United States in 2019 were $140.7 billion.

Incidence

The lung cancer incidence rate* in Utah is approximately half the U.S. rate. In 2016 (the most recent national data available), the U.S. lung cancer incidence rate was 56 lung cancer cases per 100,000 people compared to the Utah rate of 25.6 cases per 100,000 people.

*Incidence rate refers to the number of new cases diagnosed in a population within a certain time period.

Mortality

The age-adjusted cancer mortality (death) rate in Utah has generally decreased over the last 30 years. In 2020, the age-adjusted cancer mortality rate in Utah was 119.5 deaths per 100,000 people, down from a rate of 131.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010.

There are differences in cancer mortality rates throughout Utah based on geography, race, ethnicity, age, and sex. For years 2018 to 2020, the Tooele County local health district (LHD) had the highest cancer mortality rate (141.6 deaths per 100,000 persons) in the state compared to other LHDs, while the Summit County LHD had the lowest (89.5 deaths per 100,000 persons). Differences in cancer mortality rates can also be seen within each LHD at the Utah Small Area level (see Small Area Data View).

People who are non-Hispanic had a significantly higher rate of cancer mortality (117.2 deaths per 100,000 persons) than people who are Hispanic (91.1 deaths per 100,000 persons), based on age-adjusted data from 2018 to 2020. For that same time period, people who identify as Black and Pacific Islander had the highest rates of cancer mortality (135.2 deaths per 100,000 persons and 166.4 deaths per 100,000 persons, respectively) when compared to all other races, while those people who identify as Asian or American Indian/Alaskan Native had a significantly lower rate of cancer mortality (75.7 deaths per 100,000 persons and 71.7 deaths per 100,000 persons, respectively; both are statistically significant) compared to all other races.

The rate of cancer death significantly increases with age, regardless of sex. For ages 0-54, women are more likely to die as a result of cancer than men, though after age 55, men are more likely to die as a result of cancer than women.

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How do we compare with the U.S.?

The age-adjusted overall cancer mortality rate in Utah has been consistently lower than the U.S. rate for the last 30 years. The latest comparative data reports from 2018 indicate the Utah cancer death rate was 120.5 deaths per 100,000 persons, significantly lower than the U.S. rate of 149.2 deaths per 100,000 persons.

Nobody is immune from getting cancer.

Although scientific studies have shown specific risk factors increase the risk for cancer, sometimes people who have no risk factors still develop cancer and people who have many risk factors do not develop cancer. The following list contains common cancer risk factors:

• Old age- the risk of developing cancer increases with age.
• Race and ethnicity- people of certain races and heredity are at higher risk for certain types of cancer. For example, women who identify as African American are more likely to die from breast cancer than women who are white.
• Tobacco use- Smoking and secondhand smoke cause about 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths in the United States. Tobacco use can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body, not just the lungs.
• Certain environmental exposures such as formaldehyde exposure in the workplace or radon exposure in the home.
• Genetics and family history- Your family members may share genes, habits, and environments that can affect your risk of getting cancer.
• Certain medical conditions and diseases such as a weak immune system, diabetes, Crohn's disease, or human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

There are many ways to reduce your risk for cancer.

Following these guidelines will not only reduce your risk for cancer, but improve your general health as well:

• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Exercise regularly.
• Do not smoke; if you smoke, look for ways to quit.
• If you drink alcohol, consume it in moderation.
• Receive proper immunizations; certain infectious diseases like the human papillomavirus (HPV) and Hepatitis B and C could lead to cancer later in life.
• Protect your skin from the sun; wear proper sun-protective clothing and use plenty of sunscreen when you are outside.
• Limit your exposure to environmental risk factors, such as asbestos, radon, arsenic, and benzene.
• Get regular medical check ups and follow cancer screening recommendations.

Resources

• Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) - National Cancer Institute - The premier source for cancer statistics in the United States
• EJSCREEN Tool - EJSCREEN is a mapping tool provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It combines environmental and demographic information about environmental justice topics. Relevant to cancer, EJSCREEN provides data on the lifetime cancer risk from inhalation of air toxics.
• The Utah Cancer Control Program (UCCP) - Learn about free cancer screening in your area. UCCP partners with local health departments, community clinics, hospitals and healthcare professionals, community-based organizations, worksites, schools, and policymakers to provide evidence-based strategies to reduce cancer risk, find cancers at an early stage, improve treatment, increase the number of individuals who survive cancer, and improve the quality of life for cancer survivors.

Fact sheets about cancer in Utah

• Utah APPLETREE program: Monticello cancer review update 2022
• Utah APPLETREE program: Cancer and cancer screening

Publications

• Utah Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (Utah Tracking)- Cancer: Risk Factors and Prevention booklet (PDF)
• Utah Cancer Registry- Cancer In Utah: An Overview of Cancer Incidence and Mortality from 1973-2010
• Utah Comprehensive Cancer Prevention and Control Program- Utah Comprehensive Cancer Prevention and Control Plan (2021-2025)

Program websites

• Utah Cancer Control Program (UCCP)- Home page
• Utah Cancer Registry - Home page
• Utah Cancer Network- Home page
• National Cancer Institute- Comprehensive Cancer Information

Cancer registry data query

• Count incident of cancer
• Age-specific crude rates
• Age-adjusted cancer incidence rates

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Utah Tracking receives cancer data from two sources:

• The Utah Cancer Registry (UCR) maintains cancer data, which allows public health to monitor trends in cancer incidence and evaluate prevention and control measures. One of the main functions of the UCR is to serve as a resource for researchers, physicians, hospitals, and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. The UCR also provides local data to national agencies such as the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, for the purpose of generating national cancer statistics. It also serves as an educational and data resource for physicians and institutions, stimulates research into all aspects of cancer in Utah, and promotes updated cancer diagnosis and treatment. The primary funding source for UCR comes from the National Cancer Institute, with supplementary funding from the University of Utah and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
• The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Vital Records and Statistics tracks every death due to cancer in the state. Deaths are recorded as being due to cancer when cancer was the primary cause of death. A person may die from other causes but have active cancer at the same time.

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