IMPACT - Cancer Mortality

Cancer Mortality
Updated March, 1998

The goal of cancer control efforts is to decrease cancer mortality. Mortality data constitutes the primary tool used to measure advances in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care. Comparisons of mortality rates in population groups and/or regions can raise questions about cancer etiology as well as suggest intervention strategies.

METHODS

Cancer mortality data based on death certificates collected by the Texas Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics for the thirteen year period 1984 through 1996 were analyzed by the Texas Cancer Data Center. The racial/ethnic group categories were Hispanic, White (Whites and members of other races who are not Hispanic), and African-American (non-Hispanic). Age categories were in five-year intervals for ages 0 through 74 years, with one category for ages 75 and older. Thirteen-year average annual cancer death rates per 100,000 population were calculated by gender and adjusted for age using the 1970 United States standard million population.

RESULTS

The following graphs and tables contain information on how many deaths are caused by six types of cancer in the Texas population. These different cancers are a focus of Impact of Cancer on Texas, 6th ed. because they are common or largely preventable and/or curable when detected early. Data on cancers of the lung, colon, female breast, prostate, cervix and melanoma of the skin are presented.

The first graph in each set shows how many deaths occurred each year from 1984 through 1996. The next two graphs show average annual number of deaths for males and females by age group. The fourth and fifth graphs show the same information further separated by race/ethnicity. Finally, a table shows mortality rates by race/ethnicity and gender. Please note that the gender specific cancers (female breast, prostate, and cervix) have one less graph in each set.

Of every four deaths in Texas in 1996, approximately one (25 percent) was due to cancer. The number of cancer deaths increased 34 percent between 1984 and 1996, largely due to the aging of the population, population growth, and immigration. The overall cancer mortality rates were highest in African-American males and lowest in Hispanic females. Among females, African-Americans had higher cancer mortality rates in all but lung cancer and melanoma. Whites had the highest mortality rates for malignant melanoma of the skin. Hispanics had the lowest overall mortality rates among the three groups. Males had the greatest number of deaths in all age groups, with the exception of the 30-49 age groups, where females displayed the majority of deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher cancer mortality rates seen for African-Americans may be the result of a combination of factors, among them limited access to health care, limited awareness of cancer, and health behavioral choices. These factors are also important among White and Hispanic populations and the lower rates in these groups do not mean that they are having all their health needs met. The entire population in Texas is at risk for cancer. Intervention strategies should target those factors of greatest need in each of the groups.

Survival with Cancer (not updated)

The survival analyses of patients with cancer were produced by the Tumor Registry Section of the Department of Medical Informatics at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Patients newly registered at that institution during the years 1987-1993 were identified for analysis by the Medical Informatics database. The survival analyses were limited to patients from Texas who had histologically confirmed cancer diagnoses. The analyses included all identified patients regardless of where they received treatment or whether they had been treated prior to examination at M. D. Anderson.

The three stages of disease shown in each of the following graphs are local, regional, and distant. These refer to the location and spread of cancer in the body. Local disease means that one tumor has been identified in one place. Regional disease refers to additional growth or more tumors in the same general area of the body. Distant disease is cancer that has spread to other parts of the body unrelated to the area where the first tumor was found.

GRAPHS & TABLES

Lung Cancer

Colon Cancer

Female Breast Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Cervical Cancer

Melanoma of the Skin

This is an update to the original document from Impact of Cancer on Texas, Sixth Edition.
Click here to view the original document.

Cancer Mortality Updated March, 1998

Survival with Cancer (not updated)

Cancer Mortality
Updated March, 1998