by Amanda Rink, Editor
The 2024 Cancer in Iowa report, released by the Iowa Cancer Registry, presents a stark reality about the state’s ongoing cancer crisis. With 21,000 new invasive cancer cases projected in the coming year, and an estimated 6,100 cancer-related deaths, Iowa continues to bear a heavy burden. The report highlights that Iowa ranks second in the nation for new cancer cases and has the highest rate of alcohol-related cancers in the Midwest.
These findings show the need for increased awareness, prevention efforts, and targeted interventions, especially in rural counties like Wright County where residents face extra environmental and healthcare challenges.
This growing crisis is not just a statewide concern, it is deeply felt in rural areas like Wright County where barriers to healthcare and environmental risk may further contribute to rising cancer rates.
To better understand how cancer is affecting specific counties, the report provides a breakdown, allowing researchers to compare cancer incidence while considering differences in population size and other demographics.
The numbers in each county on the map provided in the report, which accompanies this article, represent the estimated number of new cancer cases in 2025. The population of each county varies in size and age, so when researchers compare new cancers across counties, it is important to focus on “age-adjusted” rates.
The age-adjusted cancer incidence rate in Iowa is 486.0 per 100,000 people with some counties experiencing even higher rates. Counties with the lowest rates are shaded dark green and the highest rates are colore
d a dark blue. These numbers identify which counties are most affected but it is important to consider the types of cancers driving these numbers.
The most common cancers in Iowa were breast cancer, prostate, lung, and colon cancers. Lung cancer accounted for 1,430 deaths in 2024. According to the report, early detection and quitting smoking are critical for reducing this rate in Iowa.
While some cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes, the report highlights another significant contributor to cancer risks.
The report considers alcohol consumption as a key risk factor for cancers like oral, liver, colon, esophagus, and female breast. Iowa has a binge drinking rate of 22%, which is higher than the national average of 17%. However, not everyone in Iowa is convinced the high cancer rates can be linked only to alcohol consumption. Like much of Iowa, Wright County faces a unique environmental challenge that could be contributing to the cancer rates.
As a rural, agriculture-heavy region, residents are often exposed to pesticides and herbicides linked to risks of leukemia, lymphoma, and prostate cancers in the Agriculture Health Study. Iowa also has the highest average radon levels in the nation, making lung cancers another concern, even for non-smokers. Many homes in Wright County may unknowingly have radon levels exceeding the EPA’s action threshold.
Water quality is another concern. Nitrate contamination from fertilizer runoff potentially increases colorectal cancers, even more so for residents using private wells. Livestock operations, and industrial emissions, also pose an airborne risk while heavy metals like arsenic in the soil have been linked to bladder and lung cancers. Public awareness of these issues is another crucial part of reducing cancer rates in our area.
Despite these concerning trends, the report offers a glimmer of hope… cancer survival rates in Iowa are improving, thanks to advancements in treatment and early detection efforts.
There are currently 168,610 cancer survivors in Iowa with the number growing each day.
For the full report and additional resources used in this article:
Iowa Cancer Registry: https://shri.public-health.uiowa.edu/
Agricultural Health Study: https://aghealth.nih.gov
EPA Radon Levels in Iowa: https://www.epa.gov/radon
Iowa Nitrate Contamination: https://iowawatercenter.org
Air Quality & Industrial Emissions: https://www.iowadnr.gov
Heavy Metals & Cancer Risk: https://www.cancer.org
