Cancer trends in Wisconsin: 1988 to 1996.

Cancer represents a major health issue in the United States, accounting for 1.2 million newly diagnosed cases each year. In Wisconsin, an estimated 25,000 residents will be diagnosed with cancer each year and over 10,000 will die from their disease, representing nearly one-fourth of all Wisconsin deaths. Lung cancer has been Wisconsin's most lethal cancer, accounting for 28% of male and 21% of female cancer mortality in 1996. Between 1988 and 1996, age-adjusted cancer incidence in Wisconsin rose 20%--to 405 cases per 100,000 population. Fortunately, in the same period, age-adjusted mortality dropped 8% to 159 cases per 100,000 population. Males have higher cancer incidence and mortality rates than females. The most frequent cancer diagnoses in males were of prostatic (29%), lung (15%) and colonic (9%) origin; among females, breast (31%), lung (11%), and colon (10%) cancers were most often diagnosed. Wisconsin cancer rates are likely to increase as Wisconsin's population ages, highlighting the need for greater cancer awareness and improved prevention, screening and cancer treatment.