Health Index Priority: Decrease Cancer Deaths
MaineHealth aims to provide access to the best cancer care, at the right place and at the right time, as close to home as possible. The system also strives to prevent cancers by reducing tobacco use and obesity.
Why does MaineHealth focus on decreasing cancer deaths?
- Cancer is the number one cause of premature mortality in the MaineHealth service area.
- The age-adjusted rate of cancer deaths in MaineHealth service area was statistically above the U.S. rate in 2017.
- In the last decade, over 25,000 people within the MaineHealth service area have died from cancer.
- About 60% of all cancer deaths are related to the risk factors of smoking and obesity.
Taking Action
We support a variety of clinical, community and policy actions to help decrease cancer deaths throughout the MaineHealth service area. Here are some of the ways that MaineHealth and our partners are responding:
Tracking Progress
The Health Index Initiative tracks and monitors a variety of data sources to measure progress being made to decrease cancer deaths.In 2016, MaineHealth leaders set bold, aggressive targets for two of these measures as a way to challenge MaineHealth organizations to continue achieving positive steps toward the MaineHealth vision.
Short-term cancer measure and target:
- As of September 30, 2018, 80% or more of patients 50- to 75-year olds whose primary care is provided at MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization practices will receive appropriate screening for colorectal cancer.
Long-term cancer measure and target:
- For the period 2018-2020 the 3-year, age-adjusted rate of all cancer deaths in the MaineHealth Service area will be ≤146/100,000 of the population.
Although the age adjusted rate of cancer deaths in the MaineHealth service area has been decreasing, the rate of 171/100,000 is well above the US rate of 156/100,000. Cancer remains the number one cause of premature (before age 70) mortality in Maine; over 3,000 Maine people died from cancer in 2017.
Although overall cancer incidence is decreasing for most types of cancer, the Maine cancer incidence rates are higher than those in the US overall.
Latest News
View All
