Each year, the American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes a report summarizing US cancer statistics for previous years and predicting cancer rates and deaths for the current year. As in previous years, the authors found that overall, people with cancer are living longer. From 1991 through 2021, cancer deaths have dropped a whopping 33%! This is due to several factors, among those being fewer people who smoke and earlier cancer detection. The down side of this is more people are being diagnosed with cancer every year. For example, new breast cancer diagnoses are increasing by around 1%, cervical cancer in women ages 30 to 44 and colorectal cancer in people less than 55 are increasing at around 2%, and certain mouth cancers, prostate, liver cancer in females, and melanoma, are increasing at close to 3%. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 2 million cancer cases will be diagnosed in the US this year. Tragically, there will be nearly 612 thousand cancer deaths, or on average 1680 deaths per day. Most of these deaths will be from lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancers.
Knowing these statistics should motivate you to schedule a cancer screening this year. You may be wondering if you should, or what risk you might have of getting cancer. Preventive sharing is based on the recommendations of experts, including the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It all starts for you with an annual provider visit.
Annual Provider Visit
The annual provider visit is where some of these early cancer screenings begin. Primary care providers can help evaluate your cancer risk and can even screen you for certain cancers, such as cervical and skin cancers. Your provider may order other screening tests that are appropriate for you, such as a mammogram or a colorectal cancer screen.
Get the Most Out of Your Annual Visit
Members who have Direct memberships or preventive services added to their Essential membership can have the cost of this annual provider visit shared up to $175 with the Zion HealthShare community. As you know, you can choose any licensed medical provider (except urgent care and emergency medical providers) for your visit. So before you go, think about the reason for your visit, and what your provider can do for you. Also consider how you want them to help you on your wellness journey.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical Cancer Rates are Increasing Yearly
The American Cancer Society estimates nearly 14,000 women in the US will receive an invasive cervical cancer diagnosis this year, with a little over 4300 losing their lives to the disease. It is important to know that cervical pre-cancers are diagnosed far more often than invasive cancers. We can identify these pre-cancers through a pap smear and HPV (human papilloma virus) test, which can be a part of your annual provider visit. The HPV test is important because certain types of this virus are known to cause pre-cancers and cancers of the cervix. If the HPC test detects the virus or your pap smear shows abnormal cells, early treatment can be very successful. You may be wondering now if cervical cancer can be avoided. There are steps you can take that may lower your risk.
Steps to Lower Your Risk
- Get Vaccinated: The HPV vaccine is highly effective, nearly 100% at preventing infection from the nine virus types it covers. This translates to protection against the early stages of cervical cancer caused by these specific HPV strains. Please refer to the CDC website for more information about when to get the vaccine.
- Avoid Tobacco Products: Women who smoke are about twice as likely as those who don’t smoke to get cervical cancer. This is thought to be due to the DNA damage that tobacco by-products cause. As well as the fact that smoking lowers the body’s natural ability to fight infections, including HPV infections.
- Live a Healthy Lifestyle: Your immune system plays an important role in fighting cancer. Those who are more active (walking more than 4000 steps per day), eat more fruits and veggies, and avoid high risk behaviors are less likely to develop cervical cancer.
- Avoid High Risk Sexual Practices: Avoid those which increase the chance of HPV exposure. These include: Becoming sexually active at a young age, especially younger than 18, having many sexual partners, and having one partner who is considered high risk, such as someone infected with HPV or who has many sexual partners.
- Other risk factors include long term use of oral contraceptives, having three or more full term pregnancies, having a full-term pregnancy younger than age 20, and having a family history of cervical cancer. Discuss your potential risk for cervical cancer and when to get screened with your health care provider.
Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Rates are Increasing Yearly
In the US, except for skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and accounts for about 30% of all new female cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates that this year close to 320,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and a little over 42,000 will die from it. The average risk of a women in the US developing breast cancer in her lifetime is about 13%. To put this into perspective, one out of eight women over their lifetimes has the chance of developing breast cancer, and one out of every seven women will not. Increased screening rates, along with more accurate screening tools and interpretation, likely contribute to the rise in breast cancer diagnoses.
Zion HealthShare and Breast Cancer Screening
Zion HealthShare members who have Direct memberships or preventive services added to their Essential memberships can have the cost of annual breast cancer screening shared with the Zion HealthShare community. Mammography is the most cost effective and accurate screening tool available today. Which is a reason why this modality qualifies for cost sharing. Others, such as ultrasound alone, MRI alone, and thermal imaging, have yet to be proven as cost effective and accurate so far. This may change in the future, and Zion HealthShare will update sharing guidelines as the evidence and research evolve.
Key Facts About Mammography
- Breast cancer death rates have declined 42% between 1989 and 2019 due to early detection from mammography.
- Mammograms are uncomfortable. To take the image, the breast tissue is compressed to decrease motion and improve the image quality of the mammogram. For women who have mammograms, the discomfort is worth the peace of mind from having the screening done.
- The radiation dose is less than a chest x-ray.
- You do not need an order from a doctor to schedule a mammogram.
- Zion HealthShare’s Medical Advocacy team can help you find a low-cost provider in your area.
Understanding Breast Cancer Risk Factors
A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of getting a disease such as breast cancer. Please know that having one or more risk factors does not guarantee that you will get the disease. The American Cancer Society is an excellent resource for information about breast cancer risk factors you cannot change.
Lowering Your Breast Cancer Risk
There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but there are some things that might lower your risk. These include:
- Avoid Tobacco: Studies have shown women who currently smoke and have smoked for more than 10 years have about 10% higher risk of breast cancer than women who\’ve never smoked. Women who currently smoke but have smoked less than 10 years don’t appear to be at increased risk. Studies also found smoking increases the risk of breast cancer returning, risk of death from breast cancer, and risk of death from any cause not related to breast cancer.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Studies have shown increased body weight and weight gain are linked to higher risk of breast cancer after menopause.
- Be Physically Active: Studies have shown moderate to vigorous physical activity is linked with lower breast cancer risk. The American Cancer Society recommends adults get at least 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week, preferably spread throughout the week. Moderate activity is anything that makes you breathe hard like you do during a brisk walk. You should be able to talk but not sing. Vigorous activity increases your heart rate, causes you to sweat, and makes you breathe faster.
- Avoid or Limit Alcohol: Even drinking small amounts of alcohol has been linked with increased risk. For women who drink, they should have no more than one alcoholic drink a day. An alcoholic drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.
- Eat a Healthy Diet: While, studies have not established a definite link between diet and breast cancer risk reduction, some suggest a diet high in fruits and veggies and low in red and processed meats might help lower risk. It’s important to also say there is no strong evidence that taking vitamins, or any dietary supplements lowers breast cancer risk.
Colorectel Cancer
Early Detection Saves Lives: Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Cancers of the colon and rectum are the leading causes of death in men younger than 50. They are also the second leading cause of death in women, behind breast cancer. Overall, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in men and the fourth leading cause in women. The incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing close to 2% per year. The ACS estimates that over 106,000 new colon cancers (around 54,000 in men and 52,000 in women), and over 46,000 new rectal cancers (around 27,000 in men and 19,000 in women) will be diagnosed this year. And it is estimated that a little over 53,000 will die from these cancers this year. Early cancer detection is the key. Members who have Direct memberships or preventive services added to their Essential memberships can have the cost of colorectal cancer screening shared with the Zion HealthShare community.
Screening Options: In-Home Test or Colonoscopy
Colorectal cancer screening can be done either through an in-home test or by direct visualization through a colonoscopy. The method you choose is up to you. Please know that a positive in-home test would make a colonoscopy necessary to evaluate the reason. This colonoscopy would be subject to your IUA (Initial Unshareable Amount). The important thing is getting screened and finding a cancer or pre-cancer that can be treated early.
Knowing what your potential risk might be and what you can do to decrease your risk will hopefully encourage you to be screened.
Tips to Lower Your Risk
- Avoid Tobacco: People who smoke are more likely to develop and die from colorectal cancer. One study published in 2009 followed over 184,000 people in the US from 1992 to 2005 and examined the relationship between cigarette smoking and colorectal cancer. The investigators discovered a higher incidence in current and former smokers compared with non-smokers. The risk was greatest among current smokers with at least 50 years of smoking. For former smokers, the risk decreased with the greater time since cessation and with earlier age a cessation. No association was seen among former smokers who quit before age 40 or quit for 31 years or more. The bottom-line is don’t smoke, and if you smoke, quit!
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being overweight increased your risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer and the risk is higher in men than in women. It is unclear why this is the case, but some experts feel that this may be due to such factors as those that regulate cell growth, hormone production, and the ability of cancers to spread.
- Eat a Healthy Diet: Diets high in red and processed meats may increase your risk. Cooking meat at very high temperatures creates chemicals that might raise your risk. Enjoy your summer BBQs, in moderation. And diets high in fruits, veggies and whole grains may lower your risk.
- Avoid Alcohol: Even light to moderate alcohol use has been associated with some increased risk, so it is better not to drink alcohol.
Understanding Risk Factors: Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop colorectal cancer than those without diabetes. Experts think this may be due to the higher insulin levels in diabetics. Diabetics also don’t do as well after diagnosis than those without diabetes. The American Cancer Society is an excellent resource for information about colorectal cancer risk factors you cannot change. Talk to your health care provider about your potential risk, how and when to get screened for colorectal cancer.
Prostate Cancer
Second only to skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.
The incidence of prostate cancer has risen about 3% every year, and about 5% for advanced stages. A little over 299,000 men will be diagnosed, and about 35,000 will die from prostate cancer in the US this year. Even though 1 in every 8 men will be diagnosed at some time in their lives, most of those men die from something else. In fact, the American Cancer Society states that more than 3.3 million US men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are alive today. The diagnosis is rare for men under the age of 40, but the risk does increase with age.
Getting Screened for Prostate Cancer
Members who have Direct memberships or preventive services added to their Essential memberships can have the cost of prostate cancer screening by a PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test ordered or drawn at the annual provider visit shared with the Zion HealthShare community as described in the Preventive Sharing Guide. Your provider will determine if a digital rectal examination is appropriate for you. It is important to know that signs and symptoms of prostate cancer can be like those of prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH), so men over 50 should be screened each year. Those symptoms include:
- Difficulty starting to urinate
- Frequent urination
- Weak urinary stream
- Urine dribbling
- Feeling like your bladder is never full or empty
The PSA blood test is not as reliable as some tests for other cancers are. A high PSA doesn’t necessarily mean that you have prostate cancer. It can be high for other reasons, such as an enlarged prostate or a prostate infection. Because of this, it\’s important to have your PSA drawn every year at your annual provider visit to see if the level is increasing. Some providers may perform a digital rectal exam to evaluate prostate size and texture. Additional testing may be recommended depending on these results.
Proactive Steps for Prostate Health
There have been many scientific studies that have researched things men can to do lower their risk for prostate cancer. Some support each other while others disagree. From those studies, here are some suggestions that may lower your risk:
- Avoid Tobacco: Most studies surprisingly have not found a link between smoking and prostate cancer. Some studies suggest a link between smoking and a higher risk of dying from prostate cancer compared to non-smokers, but researchers haven\’t definitely proven the link. Regardless, quitting tobacco offers clear health benefits, including a reduced risk of other cancers, and we should strongly emphasize these benefits.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Some studies have shown obese men are at lower risk for getting slower growing cancer but are higher risk for faster growing cancer. Some studies, not all, suggest obese men may be higher risk for more advanced cancer and dying from prostate cancer.
- Eat a Healthy Diet: Some studies have shown a link between diets high in dairy products and calcium as increasing prostate cancer risk. Unlike for women in this age group, men should consider limiting their calcium supplements. As with all cancers, it\’s important to include in your diet a variety of colorful fruits and veggies, and whole grains, and limit red and processed meats, sugar sweetened beverages, and highly processed foods.
It’s important to talk to your health care provider about your potential risk, how and when to get screened for prostate cancer.
Skin Cancer
The Most Common Cancers in the US
Skin cancers are by far the most common cancers in the US and can affect anyone, regardless of skin color. People with darker skin tones are more likely to be diagnosed with skin cancers at later stages, which makes treatment more challenging. The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that one in five of us will develop skin cancer in our lifetime, with about 9,500 Americans diagnosed every day. Melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, afflicts almost 198,000 Americans annually. Almost equally split between non-invasive and invasive stages at the time of diagnosis. All skin cancer rates are higher in women than men under the age of 50 but higher in men than women over 50.
Risk Factors
The Suns Harmful Rays and Skin Cancer Risk
The most common risk factor for all types of skin cancer is excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or indoor tanning. Experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between the ages of 15 and 20 increases the risk for non-melanoma skin cancers by 68% and for melanoma by 80%. Women younger than 30 are six times more likely to develop melanoma if they tan indoors. In fact, the younger the person is when they use tanning beds and the more annual use of indoor tanning they do increases their risk of developing both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.
Skin Cancer Prevention Tips
The most effective skin cancer prevention is the avoidance of UV exposure. You can achieve this by:
- Not using tanning beds
- When you are outside:
- Staying in the shade when possible
- Wearing protective clothing including long sleeved shirts, long pants, hats, and sunglasses with UV protection
- Using broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher on exposed areas of the skin
Know Your Skin
Performing regular skin exams is the most effective means of early skin cancer detection. Become familiar with your own skin and regularly monitor any moles or spots you feel are of concern. Many qualified medical providers can do an annual skin exam as part of the annual provider visit. Talk to your health care provider about your potential risk and how and when to get screened.
Conclusion
Zion HealthShare encourages all members to be healthy. One important way we do this is to share in these cancer screenings. Regular screenings help you establish a relationship with your medical provider who can guide you in your journey toward better health.
Screenings will help find cancers early on when they are easier and less expensive to treat. They help provide you with peace of mind and support that you are on the right path to becoming a healthier you.
The content in this blog is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice, and it shouldn’t take the place of medical advice or supervision from a trained professional.
Current as of: December 20, 2025