Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States. Half of all men and one-third of all women in our country will develop cancer in their lifetimes.

South Carolina’s cancer rate is above the national average. According to the US Cancer Statistics report published in 2009, our state ranked 28th in cancer rates in 2006. This number by itself is not alarming. But the fact remains: many South Carolinians are more likely to develop or die from certain types of cancer than their counterparts nationwide.

The most common cancers in South Carolina are prostate, breast, lung, and colorectal cancers. These cancers also cause the most deaths in the state. South Carolina ranks 20th in the nation for prostate cancer deaths. In our state, African American women are nearly twice as likely as white women to die from breast cancer. African American men are three times more likely to die from prostate cancer.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We can reduce cancer rates with lifestyle, dietary and health care decisions, such as quitting smoking and seeing a doctor at regular intervals. Early detection increases chances of long-term survival. We should undergo recommended cancer screening and learn the warning signs of cancer.

We invite you, your family and your friends to join the fight against cancer in your home and community.

To learn more:

United States Cancer Statistics. 2016 Incidence and Mortality
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) and the National Cancer Institute)
This joint report, published in 2018, covers 93% of the U.S. population for cancer occurrence and 100% of the population for cancer deaths. It provides state-specific and regional data for cancer cases diagnosed and cancer deaths that occurred in 2016, the most recent year for which incidence data are available. In addition to detailed tables, there are facts and major findings that summarize some information. There are also links from this page to pages about specific cancers.
https://nccd.cdc.gov/uscs/

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Written by: Nancy C. McKeehan, M.S.L.S.
Reviewed by: Jeffrey G. Schultze, M.D.
Last Modified: Thursday October 31, 2019 3:21 PM