Oklahoma suffers from a heavy burden of cancer. The state’s cancer statistics highlight this problem:
Incidence: Oklahoma has higher than average incidence rates for several cancers, including: lung and bronchus, colorectal, cervix, kidney and renal pelvis, and oral cavity and pharynx. Health risk factors, including high rates of tobacco use and obesity, poor dietary habits, and lower than average participation in diagnostic screening, contribute to this high incidence.
Mortality: Oklahoma’s overall cancer mortality rate is 14% higher than the national average. The state has mortality rates that are significantly higher than the overall US rates for a number of cancers, including: lung and bronchus (28% higher), colorectal (19% higher), cervix (30% higher), and kidney and renal pelvis (32% higher). Several socio-economic factors, including access to care barriers and high rates of poverty and uninsured, contribute to this increased mortality rate.
Online resources for understanding cancer incidence and mortality rates in Oklahoma and nationally include:
Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC) was established in 2001 when Oklahoma passed bipartisan-supported legislation directing the University of Oklahoma to create an academic cancer center to provide “statewide leadership in cancer research, prevention, information and treatment” and seek to attain “national recognition for excellence in the fight against cancer by being named a designated cancer center by the National Cancer Institute” (OK House Bill 1072). SCC’s statewide mission of improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden of cancer reflects this legislative mandate.
SCC achieved the goal of National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation in 2018. As the only such center in Oklahoma, SCC has a statewide mission to improve patient outcomes and reduce Oklahoma’s burden of cancer. The following activities and collaborations help SCC advance this mission:
Oklahoma has a number of cancer-relevant issues specific to its population. As the state’s only NCI-Designated Cancer Center, SCC has a mission to address these issues:
Cancer Health Disparities among American Indians in Oklahoma. High cancer incidence and mortality rates impact the state’s large American Indian population:
SCC places a high priority on addressing these cancer health disparities, and SCC investigators are actively collaborating with tribal health systems and communities throughout the state to accomplish this goal. Read more about these collaborations and activities here.
Cancer Health Disparities in Rural Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, 38% of the state’s total population lives in federally designated rural counties. This percentage is more than 2.5x the national average of 14%. Higher than average cancer incidence and mortality rates affect this population:
The SCC supports several initiatives to address cancer health disparities in the state’s large rural population:
Mark Doescher, M.D., MSPH
Associate Director for Cancer Prevention and Control, SCC
Director, Community Outreach and Engagement Core
Professor, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
mark-doescher@ouhsc.edu
Dorothy Rhoades, M.D., MPH
Director, American Indian Cancer Research Initiatives, SCC
Co-Director, Community Outreach and Engagement Core
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Medicine
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
dorothy-rhoades@ouhsc.edu
Community Outreach and Engagement Core
scc-outreach@ouhsc.edu
Core Staff
Stephanie Pharr, BS, CHES
Community Outreach Coordinator
Heather Carter, MS
Community Outreach and Engagement Liaison
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