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Adult Cancer
Adult Cancer
Cancer is a leading cause of death in Michigan, second only to heart disease.1 In the United States, it is estimated that 1 of every 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Cancer is caused by changes in a cell’s DNA causing abnormal cells to grow out of control. Cancer can start anywhere in the body. Diseases are often named after the part of the body where they begin such as breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer.
Adult cancer data are available on the MiTracking data portal:
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- Bladder
- Brain and Nervous System
- Breast
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Kidney and Renal Pelvis
- Leukemia
- Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct
- Lung and Bronchus
- Melanoma of the Skin
- Mesothelioma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Thyroid
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Cancer Information
Normally, human cells grow and divide, making new cells to replace old or damaged ones. Cancer causes new cells to grow abnormally. These extra cells divide and multiply, invading other tissues.2
There are many types of cancer. Not all cancers multiply at the same pace. Some types of cancer are considered slow-growing and are less aggressive. Some types are fast-growing, spreading rapidly to other parts of the body. Current research is looking into cancer cell behavior and therapies that can help fight cancer.3
For more information, visit the American Cancer Society.
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Causes and Prevention
Changes in a cell’s DNA cause cancer. Some changes may be from lifestyle choices, environmental factors, or viruses and infections. Other changes may be inherited from our parents.
Cancer risk can be reduced by making healthy life choices such as4:
- Staying away from tobacco.
- Being safe in the sun.
- Protect yourself from the sun by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, even on cloudy or cool days.
- Do not use tanning beds.
- Making healthy choices.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Be physically active.
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Limit the amount of alcohol that you drink.
- Protecting against and getting tested for infections.
- Get vaccinated for Human papillomavirus (HPV).
- Get tested for Hepatitis C.
For more information, visit American Cancer Society - What Causes Cancer?
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Symptoms
Knowing the symptoms of cancer can be helpful. There are some general symptoms of cancer listed below. Just because you may have a symptom does not mean you have cancer. Certain cancers will have specific symptoms. If you have symptoms that last a long time or get worse, you should talk with your doctor.
General symptoms are5:
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Fever.
- Pain.
- Extreme tiredness.
- Skin changes.
For more information, visit American Cancer Society - Signs and Symptoms of Cancer.
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Screening
Not all cancers have symptoms, especially in their early stages when they are most treatable. Cancer screening can help in finding some of these cancers before there are symptoms. Screening can help find cancer at an early stage, making it easier to treat or cure. Talk to your doctor about your cancer risk and cancer screening tests.6, 7
Learn more at American Cancer Society - Find Cancer Early.
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Survivors
A person is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis for the remainder of his or her life. Cancer survivors can lower their risk of getting a new cancer or having their cancer return by8:
- Stopping smoking.
- Limiting alcohol.
- Being physically active.
- Eating lots of fruits and vegetables.
- Protecting skin from the sun.
Learn more about finding cancer survivorship at Cancer Survivorship.
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Cancer Data - MiTracking
MiTracking Adult Cancer Indicators
Information on specific adult cancers can be found at CDC Tracking - Cancer.
MiTracking Adult Cancer Data Can Tell Us
- Cancer rates in Michigan by type of cancer, year, gender, and race.
- If cancer rates are going up or down over time.
- If part of the population is at higher risk of cancer.
MiTracking Adult Cancer Data Cannot Tell Us
- What causes cancer.
- The total effect of cancer in a population.
Find Out More
Data from the Michigan Cancer Surveillance Program (MCSP) were used to create this dataset from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics (DVRHS) through a Data Use Agreement and review by the Scientific Advisory Board. For additional information, visit the Michigan Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics.
For more data information, visit:
- About These Data (found on the data portal after a query search).
- Metadata (Technical information about the content, quality, and context of the data).
- Michigan Cancer Surveillance Program
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Learn More
American Cancer Society
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National Environmental Public Health Tracking (Tracking Program)
Michigan Cancer Consortium (MCC)
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS)
- Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Navigation Program (BC3NP)
- Cancer Epidemiology
- Cancer Statistics
- Colorectal Cancer Control Program (MI CRCCP)
National Institute of Health (NIH): National Cancer Institute
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Citations
- MDHHS. Number of Deaths and Age-adjusted Mortality Rates for the Ten Leading Causes of Death, Michigan and United States Residents, 2022. https://www.mdch.state.mi.us/osr/deaths/causrankcnty.asp Accessed June 10, 2024.
- NIH. What Is Cancer? https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer. Accessed June 10, 2024.
- American Cancer Society. Cancer risk and prevention. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention.html. Accessed June 10, 2024.
- American Cancer Society. What causes cancer? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes.html. Accessed June 10, 2024.
- CDC. Cancer screening tests. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prevention/screening.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/prevention/screening.htm. Accessed June 10, 2024.
- CDC. Cancer: screening tests. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/prevention/screening.htm. Accessed June 10, 2024.
- American Cancer Society. Find cancer early. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early.html. Accessed June 10, 2024.
- CDC. Staying healthy after cancer treatment. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer-survivors/life-after-cancer/staying-healthy-after-cancer-treatment.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/survivors/life-after-cancer/staying-healthy-after-cancer-treatment.htm. Accessed June 10, 2024.