AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met at the Capitol Tuesday to hear testimony on cancer data trends, in an effort to address the impact the disease has on Texans.
Health officials say cancer is the second leading cause of death in Texas and the U.S., behind heart disease. Over the last decade, the most common cancers for women have included breast, endometrial, kidney and pancreatic cancers, as well as melanoma. For men, the most common cancers have been liver, kidney and oral cancers, plus melanoma.
Experts also say early on-set cancer rates in adults younger than 50 have increased for common cancers like uterine, kidney and colorectal cancers. But breast cancer rates are the highest, at 1.1% per year over the past year – higher than the nationwide rate of 0.6%.
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"Continued research into why some cancers are increasing over time, especially among younger age groups, is important so we can find a way to reverse these trends and prevent cancer cases," Dr. Manda Hall, the associate commissioner for community health improvement for the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), said.
Tuesday's meeting will help lawmakers evaluate state investments in cancer prevention and screening, including CT, MRI and PET scans.
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