Working behind the scenes to fight cancer

Dear friends,

It’s an axiom in public health that much of the work goes unnoticed.

And, most of the time, that’s OK.

Public health professionals routinely collect water samples, monitor air quality, assure the safety of the food supply, vaccinate vulnerable populations, and otherwise quietly prevent diseases, illnesses, and other hazards to our health. These actions and so many others — typically organized and carried out ‘behind the scenes’ by people working in or in concert with local, state, and federal agencies — allow millions of us to go about our lives without worrying too much about the water coming out of our household faucets, the air we breathe when we step outside, and the food our families are eating.

But every so often, something happens or we learn of a situation that allows us to perceive the workings of the public health system. Perhaps there’s a pandemic. Or a wildfire spewing pollutants into the atmosphere. Or a suspected cancer cluster.
In Iowa, recently, we’re seeing a renewed focus on cancer, sparking much-needed discussion about possible causes and strategies for prevention. This focus stems in part from the ongoing surveillance and reporting efforts of the Iowa Cancer Registry (ICR), the state of Iowa’s designated collector of cancer data based in the College of Public Health.

For more than 50 years, the ICR – one of nine original members of the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program – has been diligently tracking cancer cases, survival rates, and deaths from cancer in Iowa. This painstaking public health legwork has generated a wealth of data, which in turn enabled researchers to learn that Iowa has the second-highest rate of new cancers in the United States and one of only a handful of states where cancer rates are increasing. We wouldn’t know this critical information without the high-quality data collected and maintained by the registry.

The work of public health also encompasses the daunting challenge of identifying the factors contributing to Iowa’s high rates of cancer and then developing effective interventions. The complex interplay of genetic, behavioral, environmental, and structural factors that lead to cancer must be carefully examined.

The registry’s data are a vital resource for supporting these explorations and guiding future improvements in cancer prevention, screening, treatment, and patient support.

Researchers, health care providers, hospitals and health systems, prevention specialists, community leaders, patients, their families, and advocates all play critical roles in advancing efforts to reduce the burden of cancer in Iowa. Fortunately, they can undertake this important work knowing their efforts are based on the most accurate, timely, trusted information available thanks to dedicated public health professionals working ‘behind the scenes’ in the Iowa Cancer Registry.

Warm regards,

Edith Parker, MPH, DrPH
Dean and Professor