The New York State Department of Health recognizes February as National Cancer Prevention Month and encourages New Yorkers to take steps to reduce their risk of cancer. New York State continues to offer preventive health care, research, and community programs.
“It’s important to remember that more than a third of all cancer cases are preventable; taking steps to quit smoking, adopting healthy exercise and eating habits, limiting alcohol use, and talking with a health care provider about risks for cancer can make a difference,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of the free screening and health programs offered by New York State that can help anyone take control of their health and prevent cancer or detect it early.”
Cancer is one of the most common chronic diseases in New York State and is second only to heart disease as the leading cause of death. Each year, about 115,000 New Yorkers are diagnosed with cancer. Almost 19,000 individuals die from tobacco-related cancer each year, accounting for 56 percent of all cancer deaths in New York State, according to a report.
Cancer Prevention Month serves as a reminder that every New Yorker may take steps to reduce the risk of cancer. Research shows more than one-third of cancers are preventable if the right measures are taken, including:
- Knowing one’s genetics and family history.
- Quitting smoking.
- Not drinking alcohol or drinking less.
- Choosing a diet with vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
- Maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active.
- Limiting sun exposure and using sunscreen.
- Testing your home for radon.
- Getting vaccinated for human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B.
- Getting screened for cancer and hepatitis C.
- Talking to a health care provider about the risks for cancer.
The Department has many programs and initiatives to help educate New Yorkers about cancer, as well as to provide support to individuals and families who are impacted by the disease. The Department remains committed to removing barriers to cancer screening and sharing the importance of routine screening.
The New York State Cancer Services Program provides free breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening to New Yorkers without insurance. If cancer is found, eligible New Yorkers can enroll in the New York State Medicaid Cancer Treatment Program to receive Medicaid coverage for cancer treatment.
The New York State Cancer Consortium is a network of more than 400 organizations working together to reduce the burden of cancer through strategies that promote cancer prevention, early detection and screening. The Department is an active member, participating in the Consortium’s Steering Committee, providing support for Consortium operations, Action Teams and workgroups, and facilitating the development and evaluation of the New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan.
New York State participates in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries and the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, End Results and Epidemiology program to collect standardized information on all cancer cases in New York. This information allows researchers, doctors, policymakers, public health professionals and members of the public to monitor the burden of cancer, evaluate cancer prevention and control programs, and identify focus areas for research and policy development.
The New York State Cancer Registry also actively collaborates on research studies with a goal of improving cancer outcomes and reducing health disparities. In addition, the New York State Cancer Registry participates in the Virtual Pooled Registry- Cancer Linkage System (VPR-CLS) that allows researchers to conduct minimal risk linkage studies with multiple central cancer registries.
The New York State Cancer Registry and cancer statistics can be found here.
Incidence and mortality rates of tobacco-related cancers can be found here.
Trends in screening-detectable cancers can be found here.
Information on HPV-related cancer incidence and vaccination rates can be found here.
More information on cancer, including cancer types, prevention, treatment and resources can be found here.
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here
