Cancer
Cancer starts from the uncontrolled division of cells in the body. As the abnormal cells
continue to grow, they form a tumor. As the tumor grows it can metastasize, or spread, and
begin forming new tumors in different parts of the body. Not all cancers behave the same way;
different types of cancer have different growth rates and respond differently to anti-cancer
treatments. In medical terms, cancer is referred to as malignant neoplasms.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. One in three women and one
in two men will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their life. Prevention, screening,
and treatment options are available for most types of cancer and their use and advancements in
each have decreased death rates due to cancer.
Cancer generally develops over several years and has many causes. Several factors both inside
and outside the body contribute to the development of cancer. Some of these factors include genetics,
tobacco use, diet, weight, physical inactivity, and excessive sunlight exposure. Other factors
include exposure to chemicals that may be present in food, air, or water such as asbestos, benzene,
and arsenic.
Nobody is immune from getting cancer. Even though scientific studies have shown that specific
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. It is important to remember that some of these are modifiable and some
are not:
- Older age; the risk of developing cancer increases with age
- Race and ethnicity; people of certain races and ethnic background are at higher risk for certain types of cancer
- Tobacco use
- Certain environmental exposures
- Genetics and family history
- Certain medical conditions/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 already smoke, look for ways to quit
- If you drink alcohol, drink only 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-protection 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, including cancer screening tests like mammography, Pap test, and colonoscopy. Early detection of cancer significantly improves the chances of a complete recovery.
Cancer data come from several sources:
- Screening: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) monitors the use of preventive screening for a variety of cancer types such as mammography to detect breast cancer, Pap tests for cervical cancer, colonoscopy for colorectal cancer, and PSA tests for prostate cancer.
- Incidence, stage at diagnosis, and survivorship: State cancer registries collect detailed information about cancer patients and the treatments they receive, which makes the monitoring of trends in incidence and mortality as well as the evaluation of prevention and control measures possible.
- Mortality: Death certificates are a fundamental source of demographic, geographic, and cause-of-death information. They make it possible to track every death in the nation due to cancer. Deaths are reported as being due to cancer when the cancer was the underlying cause of death.
Cancer Deaths
- Cancer Deaths - Overall
- Cancer Deaths - Lung Cancer
- Cancer Deaths - Breast Cancer
- Cancer Deaths - Colorectal Cancer
- Cancer Deaths - Prostate Cancer
- Cancer Deaths - Cervical Cancer
- Cancer Deaths - Melanoma
Cancer Incidence
- Cancer Incidence - Bladder Cancer
- Cancer Incidence - Brain and Central Nervous System Cancer
- Cancer Incidence - Breast Cancer
- Cancer Incidence - Cancer of the Lung and Bronchus
- Cancer Incidence - Cancer of the Oral Cavity and Pharynx
- Cancer Incidence - Esophagus Cancer
- Cancer Incidence - Kidney and Renal Pelvis
- Cancer Incidence - Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct
- Cancer Incidence - Melanoma of the Skin
- Cancer Incidence - Mesothelioma
- Cancer Incidence - Larynx
- Cancer Incidence - Leukemia
These links will run the query and take you to the results page. To modify the query criteria,
you can use the top left ("MODIFY Query") navigation button on the query results page.
Cancer Deaths (Death Certificate Data Queries)
- All Cancers
- Lung Cancer Deaths
- Female Breast Cancer Deaths
- Colon Cancer Deaths
- Bladder Cancer Deaths
- Cervical Cancer Deaths
- Skin Cancer Deaths
Cancer Incidence (New Mexico Tumor Registry Data Queries)
- All Cancers
- Female Breast Cancer Incidence
- Lung Cancer Incidence
- Prostate Cancer Incidence
- Colon Cancer Incidence
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Incidence
- Bladder Cancer Incidence
- Skin Cancer Incidence