Cancer Statistics and Outcomes Differ by Zip Code

Gary A. Puckrein, Ph.D., president and CEO of the National Minority Quality Forum, says that cancer statistics are not the same across the nation.

Puckrein and his team collect data by zip code to see where cancer presents itself. Interestingly, it is not the same across the nation. Certain areas may have a higher prevalence of one type of cancer. This data allows researchers to start asking questions about why this might be.

Not only is cancer prevalence varied by geographical location, but outcomes change by region, too. Puckrein also goes zip code to zip code to find out the type of care people in different areas are getting, including their screening and clinical trial habits.