How does cancer in Utah compare to other states in the U.S.?
Please see the Statistics & Publications page of this website for cancer rates in Utah compared to the U.S. The Cancer Statistics Review on the SEER website is also an excellent source for cancer statistics, as are the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Utah State Health Department. In general, Utah has much lower rates of cancer than other states in the U.S. The lower rates here can, at least partially, be explained by the demographics of Utah. Over half of the Utah population are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormon Church. This religion encourages behaviors that can affect cancer rates; specifically, abstinence from smoking. The low number of smokers in the state results in fewer smoking-related cancers: cancers of the lung, bronchus, and others. Because of this, Utah has consistently had the lowest death rate for average annual deaths related to smoking in the U.S. For more information about t
