Cancer Facts & Figures 2008

The topic of the special section of Cancer Facts & Figures 2008 is insurance and cost-related barriers to cancer care. For many cancer patients, health insurance status and other financial barriers delay or limit access to treatment and supportive services, and for almost all patients, cancer treatment presents a significant financial burden. In this section, you’ll find an overview of systems of health insurance in the United States, and the impact of being uninsured or underinsured on cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.

Please Note: Change in Methodology for 2008

Beginning with Cancer Facts & Figures 2007, estimated new cancer cases in the current year were computed using a new, more accurate method developed by researchers at the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society. Improvements in the new model include use of data from a much larger percentage of the US population, allowance for geographical variation in cancer incidence, adjustment for delays in reporting, and the inclusion of many socio-demographic, medical facility, lifestyle, and cancer screening behavior variables. Comparisons of estimates produced by the old and new methods were generally similar for all cancers combined but differ substantially for some sites.

2008 Method for Estimating Incidence

For more information regarding the new method for estimating incidence, see the following documents:

• A New Method of Estimating US Incidence (PDF)
• Projected and Observed Cancer Cases for 2003, New Method (PDF)
• Estimated New Cancer Cases for Selected Cancer Sites by State, US, 2007, Old Method (PDF)