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Iowa has the 2nd highest rate of new cancers in the U.S., University of Iowa report says

Compared to other states, more Iowans drink than residents of other states. That may be why Iowa has the fourth highest incidence of alcohol-related cancers.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa continues to have one of the highest cancer rates in the nation, according to a new report released by the University of Iowa.

According to the 2024 Cancer in Iowa report, the Hawkeye State has the second-highest and fastest-growing rate of new cancers in the U.S. Researchers estimated approximately 21,000 new cases of invasive cancers will be diagnosed in the state during 2024, with the most common types being breast cancer (2,930 cases), prostate cancer (2,850 cases) and lung cancer (2,700 cases). 

Lung cancer was also found to be the most fatal form of cancer, accounting for approximately 1,430 fatalities, followed by colon and rectum cancer with 550 deaths and pancreas cancer with 470 deaths.

The report breaks down the volume of cancer cases by county, adjusting for population and age. According to the findings, Scott, Jackson, Clinton, Muscatine and Des Moines counties all had cancer rates above the state average from 2016 to 2020; Scott, Clinton, Muscatine and Des Moines counties also had cancer-related death rates higher than the state average during that time period. 

Here's a full breakdown of cancer diagnosis estimates, cancer-related death estimates and cancer survivor estimates for 2024 in Iowa.

Iowa cancer diagnosis estimates for 2024

The report estimates that Iowa will have 21,000 new cancer cases in 2024. Here are the estimates for new cancer cases in each county in the QC region.

  • Scott County- 1,150 cases
  • Clinton County- 380 cases
  • Des Moines County- 295 cases
  • Muscatine County- 275 cases
  • Jackson County- 170 cases
  • Henry County- 135 cases
  • Louisa County- 75 cases

Estimated new cancer diagnosis types in 2024

Of the estimated 21,000 new cancer cases in 2024, the report estimates the following types of cancer will have the highest incidence.  

  1. Breast- 2,930 cases
  2. Prostate- 2,850 cases
  3. Lung- 2,700 cases 
  4. Colon and rectum- 1,660 cases
  5. Skin melanoma- 1,430 cases
  6. Bladder- 950 cases
  7. Kidney and renal pelvis- 870 cases
  8. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma- 860 cases
  9. Leukemia- 720 cases
  10. Uterus- 700 cases

Iowa cancer death estimates for 2024

The report also figures the number of cancer-related deaths, estimating that 6,100 Iowans will die from cancer in 2024. Here are the estimates for cancer-related deaths in each county in the QC region. 

  • Scott County- 320 deaths
  • Clinton County- 120 deaths
  • Des Moines County- 90 deaths
  • Muscatine County- 85 deaths
  • Jackson County- 50 deaths
  • Henry County- 45 deaths
  • Louisa County- 25 deaths

Estimated fatal cancer types in 2024

Of the state's estimated 6,100 cancer-related deaths in 2024, the report estimates the following types of cancer will be the most fatal for Iowans.

  1. Lung- 1,430 deaths
  2. Colon and rectum- 550 deaths 
  3. Pancreas- 470 deaths
  4. Breast- 390 deaths
  5. Prostate- 340 deaths
  6. Leukemia- 260 deaths
  7. Liver and intrahepatic bile duct- 240 deaths
  8. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma- 230 deaths
  9. Esophagus- 190 deaths 
  10. Bladder- 180 deaths

Iowans living with cancer

The report estimates the number of Iowans currently living with cancer. Here are the estimates for Iowans that have cancer for each county in the QC region. 

  • Scott County- 9,385 survivors
  • Clinton County- 2,800 survivors
  • Des Moines County- 2,495 survivors
  • Muscatine County- 2,350 survivors
  • Jackson County- 1,270 survivors
  • Henry County- 1,090 survivors
  • Louisa County- 595 survivors

Iowans living with cancer by type

The report estimates that of those Iowans living with cancer, the following types of cancer have the highest incidence rate among survivors.

  1. Breast- 36,920 survivors
  2. Prostate- 30,990 survivors
  3. Colon and rectum- 15,765 survivors
  4. Skin melanoma- 13,530 survivors
  5. Uterus- 9,005 survivors
  6. Thyroid- 8,415 survivors
  7. Bladder- 8,125 survivors
  8. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma- 8,075 survivors
  9. Lung- 7,005 survivors
  10. Kidney and renal pelvis- 6,890 survivors

Alcohol and Cancer Risk in Iowa

The report highlights a surge in cancers related to alcohol consumption. According to researchers, Iowa has the fourth-highest rate of alcohol-related cancers in the U.S. and the highest rate in the Midwest. The state also ranks fourth for highest rate of binge drinking, which researchers define as "drinking five or more drinks on one occasion for men and four or more drinks on one occasion for women. More than one fifth (22%) of Iowans report binge drinking, higher than the national average of 17%." Researchers wrote that alcohol use increases the risk of a variety of different types of cancer, including liver, esophagus, female breast, colon, rectum, oral cavity, pharynx and larynx.

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