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The annual cancer statistics report from the American Cancer Society finds steady declines in cancer death rates for the past two decades add up to a 20 percent drop in the overall risk of dying from cancer over that time period.
The report, “Cancer Statistics 2014,” finds progress has been most rapid for middle-aged black men, among whom death rates have declined by approximately 50 percent.
Despite this substantial progress, black men continue to have the highest cancer incidence and death rates among all ethnicities in the U.S. – about double those of Asian Americans, who have the lowest rates.
“The progress we are seeing is good, even remarkable, but we can and must do even better,” said John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. “The halving of the risk of cancer death among middle aged black men in just two decades is extraordinary, but it is immediately tempered by the knowledge that death rates are still higher among black men than white men for nearly every major cancer and for all cancers combined.”
Each year, the American Cancer Society estimates the numbers of new cancer cases and deaths expected in the United States in the current year and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival based on incidence data from the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics.
The data are disseminated in two reports, Cancer Statistics, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and its companion article, Cancer Facts & Figures.
The most recent five year period for which there was data for the study was the 2006 to 2010 time period.
The data suggests that California came in with the ninth lowest incident rate and estimated new cases, with 442.2 people per 100,000, compared to the overall US average of 469.6. Arizona had the lowest nationwide rate, 401.1.
For the 2006 to 2010 time frame in Lake County, California Cancer Registry data shows that Lake County had the fifth highest age-adjusted rate for all invasive cancers, 485.62 per 100,000 people. The top four counties are Napa, Marin, Shasta, and a combination of Mariposa and Tuolumne.
For the same time period, Lake County had the second highest cancer mortality rate at 199.45 per 100,000 people. Only Shasta County, at 200.11 per 100,000, was higher.
This year's American Cancer Society report estimates there will be 1,665,540 new cancer cases and 585,720 cancer deaths in the United States in 2014.
Among men, prostate, lung and colon cancer will account for about half of all newly diagnosed cancers, with prostate cancer alone accounting for about one in four cases.
Among women, the three most common cancers in 2014 will be breast, lung and colon, which together will account for half of all cases.
Breast cancer alone is expected to account for 29 percent of all new cancers among women, according to the report.
The estimated 585,720 deaths from cancer in 2014 correspond to about 1,600 deaths per day.
Lung, colon, prostate, and breast cancers continue to be the most common causes of cancer death, accounting for almost half of the total cancer deaths among men and women. Just over one in four cancer deaths is due to lung cancer.
The 2013 Lake County Community Health Needs Assessment released this past fall also found that county residents had high death rates from lung cancer, as Lake County News has reported.
During the most recent five years for which there are data (2006-2010), cancer incidence rates declined slightly in men (by 0.6% per year) and were stable in women, while cancer death rates decreased by 1.8% per year in men and by 1.4% per year in women.
The combined cancer death rate has been continuously declining for two decades, from a peak of 215.1 per 100,000 in 1991 to 171.8 per 100,000 in 2010.
This 20 percent decline translates to the avoidance of approximately 1,340,400 cancer deaths (952,700 among men and 387,700 among women) during this time period.
The magnitude of the decline in cancer death rates from 1991 to 2010 varies substantially by age, race, and sex, ranging from no decline among white women aged 80 years and older to a 55 percent decline among black men aged 40 years to 49 years.
Notably, black men experienced the largest drop within every 10-year age group, the report showed.
COBB, Calif. – A 4.5-magnitude earthquake – followed by two aftershocks – occurred near The Geysers geothermal steamfield on Sunday afternoon.
The 4.5-quake was recorded at a depth of 1.6 miles at 12:24 p.m., according to the US Geological Survey.
The quake was centered three miles northwest of The Geysers and 13 miles southwest of Clearlake, based on the survey's records.
By 2 p.m. the survey had received approximately 167 shake reports from areas of Lake County including Clearlake, Hidden Valley Lake, Lakeport, Lower Lake, Nice and Middletown, as well as from residents in the neighboring counties of Sonoma and Napa, and as far away as San Jose.
Shortly after that initial quake, two large aftershocks occurred.
The first, a 2.6-magnitude quake, was recorded just two minutes after the initial quake at a depth of 1.7 miles, the US Geological Survey reported.
The survey said it was centered two miles west northwest of Cobb and 12 miles southwest of Clearlake. There was one shake report from Lakeport.
The second aftershock, measuring 2.5 in magnitude, was recorded at a depth of 1.6 miles at 12:36 p.m. The US Geological Survey reported it was centered four miles west of Cobb and 13 miles southwest of Clearlake.
That aftershock had one shake report from Kelseyville, the survey said.
The last earthquake measuring magnitude 4 or above in Lake County occurred last March 14, when a 4.5-magnitude temblor was reported three miles west southwest of Cobb, according to US Geological Survey records.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – A fundraising campaign to replace two buildings at the Hartmann Field and Little League ballpark in Hidden Valley Lake that were destroyed in a Nov. 9 fire got a boost from an unexpected source on Saturday.
Damien Wickard, interim general manager at Konocti Vista Resort Marina and Casino, made a donation to the drive.
“Damien called me before Christmas and said that (Konocti Vista) would like to sponsor a team and donate a full set of equipment for it because he wants people to know that they come through for the community,” said Middletown Cobb Little League President Phil Mascari.
The contribution from Konocti Vista, Mascari said, amounted to $2,500, which included a $500 check plus the equipment.
Asked why Konocti Vista was making a donation to a cause in an area well distanced from his base of operations, Wickard said, “I've been involved in Little League for many years, as well as football and basketball at Lower Lake (High School). Our mission is to help out when the opportunity arises and at Konocti we really want to donate to and help out the youth of Lake County.”
Mascari said that the drive to raise $20,000 to replace the equipment burned in the November fire has succeeded in raising $12,000 so far.
He is hopeful that a Feb. 15 “Montecarlo Night” dance party and silent auction will make up most of the difference.
Meanwhile, an effort to join with the Hidden Valley Lake Homeowners Association in a program to physically rebuild the Little League Field is progressing, Mascari said.
“We have to put a plan together by July, but they've given us permission to do that. But we have to wait till it comes up as a discussion item to take action, which might be at the association meeting on the 23rd (of January),” he said.
“We've had a lot of stuff donated, such as demolition, a 20-foot waste container that will take stuff away and building materials,” Mascari added. “And there was a unanimous decision to move forward with the program.”
Cash donations can be sent to Middletown Cobb Little League, P.O. Box 1024, Middletown, CA 95461.
Kristi Watson is fundraising coordinator and be reached by phone at 707-355-0154.
Email John Lindblom at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Search and Rescue Association has installed its new officers for 2014.
The association held a formal installation at an event on the night of Sunday, Dec. 8.
Incoming board members include President Kaylene Strugnell, Vice President Janene Dillion, Secretart Jerry Collins and Treasurer Karen Detweiler.
Other members are Kathy Krebser, training; Greg Gotelli and Terry Cara, members-at-large; and search team leaders James Hull, Malcom Dillion and Monty Winters.
In 2013 the Lake County Search and Rescue Association conducted 15 search and rescue missions, including the effort to find Mikaela Lynch, a girl with autism who went missing from her family's Clearlake vacation home in May, and the lost hunter on Hull Mountain.
Search and rescue efforts are conducted to find missing people in the county’s urban, lake, agricultural and mountain areas.
The association employs coordinated search efforts using ground, off-road vehicles, K-9, mounted equine, technical, and water search and rescue teams, with volunteers trained to national standards.
Anyone interested in joining Lake County Search and Rescue may attend the monthly meetings, held on the second Wednesday of the month.
The meetings begin at 7 p.m. in the Alternative Work Program building, 4913 Helbush Road, Lakeport.
Inquiries about membership also may be made by calling the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-262-4200 and leaving a name and phone number, and request for contact. An association member will return the call.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) joins the U.S. Department of Justice in observing National AMBER Alert Awareness Day on Monday, Jan. 13.
This special day was created to raise public awareness of the AMBER Alert program.
The goal of the program, which can be found in every state in the nation, is to instantly spur the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of a child.
The CHP serves as the statewide coordinator for the state’s AMBER Alert system.
Since it was implemented in July 2002, California’s AMBER Alert system has been activated in California 218 times, resulting in the rescue or safe finding of 255 children.
“The public has been essential to the success of California’s AMBER Alert system,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Working together with law enforcement, broadcasters, and other government agencies has proven successful in saving the lives of hundreds of children in California for more than a decade.”
California recently saw a change to the AMBER Alert system.
The change that became effective Jan. 1, 2014, expands the ability of AMBER Alerts to be activated if a child has been taken by anyone, regardless if an actual abduction is involved, and the agency believes the child is in threat of serious bodily injury or death.
“An AMBER Alert is a call to action,” added Commissioner Farrow. “Not only is law enforcement engaged in the safe recovery of the child, but there are thousands of other eyes and ears aiding in that search.”
The public can get involved during an AMBER Alert by listening to television and radio reports, paying attention to changeable message signs along the highway, which display information about the abductor’s vehicle and license plate number, and keeping an eye out for the suspect vehicle.
The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security to the people of California.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “January” is named after “Janus,” the Roman god of the doorway. January, being the first month of the year, is the doorway to the new year.
The January night skies may be the most beautiful of all with the brilliant constellations Orion, Canis Major and Minor and Gemini.
Of the 20 brightest stars in the sky, January has eight of them.
Orion, the Hunter, is a majestic constellation. The outline resembles a hunter, with a shield in one hand and a club in the other.
In Greek mythology Orion was a hunter with supernatural powers. He did battle with Scorpius the scorpion, a summer constellation.
Orion has two of the brightest stars in the sky, Rigel (seventh) and Betelgeuse (ninth).
Orion is host to the Orion Nebula, a stunning object in a telescope of any size. The nebula is a star nursery – new stars are born here.
A good hunter needs hunting dogs, and Orion has an excellent pair, Canis Major and Canis Minor. Canis is Latin for “dog.”
Canis Minor, the little dog, has the eighth brightest star in the sky, Procyon.
Canis Major, the big dog, has Sirius, the brightest star in the sky.
Gemini, the twins, is another beautiful constellation featuring the bright stars Castor and Pollux. In Greek mythology Castor and Pollux were bad boys who did things we dare not repeat in this column.
Castor is a double star that can easily be viewed in a telescope of moderate size.
Note that the planet Jupiter is becoming visible. Next month we’ll explore this planet.
John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .
