| Cancer key
findings
Cancer death rates in San Mateo County
are comparable to state levels and are below the Year 2000 objective. Still, cancer is the
number-one killer in San Mateo County, and incidence rates (new cases) are slightly above
state rates for some types. The leading causes of cancer deaths, by site, are lung cancer,
colorectal cancer and breast cancer. Screenings for cancer, however, compare favorably to
national testing levels, and generally meet Year 2000 objectives.
cancer incidence &
deaths
cancer incidence
- 1990-94 age-adjusted cancer incidence rates (the occurrence
of new cancer cases) are highest among men, especially White men (494.7 new cases per
100,000 vs. 471.4 for men overall). White women also experience higher rates than women of
other races/ethnicities (366.1 new cases per 100,000 vs. 340.1 for women overall). [Note
that African-American rates are not included in this analysis due to insufficient data.] 552
- Furthermore, in comparison to state averages, both men and
women in San Mateo County experience slightly higher cancer incidence rates. 553
- Other than gender-specific cancer sites, men and women
experience roughly equal incidence (new cancer cases) for colorectal and pancreatic
cancer. For other primary sites, men experience a greater share of cases, including
leukemia, lung cancer, liver cancer, melanoma, and oropharyngeal cancer. 554
cancer deaths
- Cancers are the number-one killer in San Mateo County. In
looking at 1992-1996 annual average cancer deaths by site, lung cancer is
clearly the leading cause of cancer deaths (with an annual average of 323 deaths),
followed by colon cancer (110 annual average deaths), breast
cancer (105 annual average deaths) and prostate cancer (79
annual average deaths). 555
552 Healthy San Mateo 2000:
Health Status Indicators. San Mateo County Department of Public Health. Summer 1998
Edition.
553 Ibid.
554 Ibid.
555 Healthy San Mateo 2000: Health Status Indicators. San Mateo
County Department of Public Health. Summer 1998 Edition. |