1. Raising Awareness of Rare Cancers in Iowa:
Bone and Joint Cancer
Wachie Peters1, Mikayla Schnurr1, Haley Wood1, Holly Showalter1, and Elitsa Ananieva2
1Waukee APEX, Waukee High School, Waukee, IA; 2Des Moines University, Biochemistry Department, Des Moines, IA
Conclusion
Abstract
Methods
Results Results
Objectives
References
Introduction
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1990-1995 1996-2001 2002-2007 2008-2013
AgeAdjustedRate
Years
Male
Female
Bone and Joint Cancer in Iowa for the Period 1990-2013
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1990-1995 1996-2001 2002-2007 2008-2013
AgeAdjustedRate
Years
Male
Female
Mortality Rates
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
AgeAdjustedRates
Years
Incidence
Mortality
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
AgeAdjustedRates
Years
Incidence
Mortality
Females
Comparison of Incidence and Mortality Rates of Bone and Joint
Cancer in Iowa
Males
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
AgeAdjusted
Rates
Years
National rates
Iowa rates
Incidence
Mortality
Bone and Joint Cancer Incidence Rates in Iowa Over the Years
• Iowan males had higher incidence rates of bone and joint cancer than females between
1990-2013. The only exception was 2002-2007, when the male incidence rates dropped from
1.25 to 0.9 age adjusted rate.
• The female incidence rates of bone and joint cancer increased each year, with the incidence
rates being the lowest during 1990-1995 and the highest during 2008-2013.
• On average, Iowan males were 20% more likely to suffer from bone and joint cancer than
females.
Bone and Joint Cancer Mortality Rates in Iowa Over the Years
• The female mortality rates of bone and joint cancer remained consistent compared to the
male mortality rates which were always higher except for the years 2008-2013.
Bone and Joint Cancer in Males and Females in Iowa Over the Years
Males:
o Over the years, incidence rates showed larger fluctuations than mortality rates
with two increases (1996-1998, 2008-2010) and one dramatic decrease during
2002-2004.
Females:
o There were more fluctuations in the female incidence rates than mortality rates
over the years with two decreases (1993-1995, 1999-2001) followed by steady
rates of both incidence and mortality rates.
National vs. Iowa Rates of Bone and Joint Cancer Over the Years
• The incidence rates of bone and joint cancer in Iowa were for the most part higher than on
the National level
• The mortality rates of bone and joint cancer in Iowa were consistent with the National
mortality rates except for the years 2005-2007, where there was a slight increase in Iowa.
Comparison of Bone and Joint Cancer to Breast, Prostate, Colon, and Lung cancer Over
the Years
• The mortality rates of bone and joint cancer were very low in comparison to the mortality
rates recorded for breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancer in Iowa and on the National level.
However, the bone and joint cancer mortality rates remained steady while the mortality rates
of the 4 most common cancers decreased in the recent years.
• The survival rates for bone and joint cancer patients were lower than those for breast,
prostate, and colon cancer but higher than the lung cancer survival rates.
• Background information on bone cancer such as bone cancer types, different treatment options,
incidents and mortality rates were researched by using internet available recourses as cited in the
references (1-2).
• Bone cancer incidence and mortality rates for both males and females in Iowa were compared
using the age adjusted rate (AAR) from the years 1990-2013. Rates were per 100,000 population
and were age-adjusted by five-year age groups to the 2000 U.S. standard population based on
single years of age. Next, the AAR of the mortality and incidence rates of both males and females
were compared every three years in graphical form. The data of the AARs of Iowa were then
compared to National data.
• Mortality and survival cancer rates in Iowa were taken from the Iowa Cancer Registry and
compared to the National mortality and survival rates for the same types of cancers.
Waukee Aspiring Professional Experience (APEX), a program through Waukee High School
for students exploring health sciences while developing project management and
professional skills, has teamed up with Dr. Elitsa Ananieva to learn more about bone cancer.
The collaboration aimed at exploring bone and joint cancer in Iowa while raising awareness
about bone cancer to increase public involvement and research efforts devoted to bone
cancer patients. The Iowa Cancer Registry was used to search incidence and mortality rates
of bone and joint cancer between the years of 1990-2013 and to compare bone and joint
cancer to the four most common cancers in Iowa: breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancer.
Next, the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results program (SEER) administered by the
National Cancer Institute was used to compare incidence and mortality rates of bone and
joint cancer on the national level. Our results showed that Iowan males were around 20%
more likely to suffer from bone and joint cancer than females. In comparison to the four most
common cancers, bone and joint cancer mortality rates were very low but remained
consistent over the years. In contrast, breast, prostate, and colon cancer mortality rates
decreased in the recent years reflecting the increased prevention care and research efforts
devoted to these cancers. In conclusion, although rare, bone and joint cancer in Iowa has
higher prevalence than on national level, is more common in males, and the survival rates
for bone cancer patients are lower than those for breast, prostate, or colon cancer.
Rare cancers receive disproportionately lower
public attention because they affect a small
population. As a result, less research funding
and clinical trials are undertaken to address
rare cancers. A cancer diagnosis is devastating
for every cancer patient regardless of how
common the cancer type. The research we
conducted was on bone and joint cancer in
Iowa. This was performed to support Dr.
Ananieva’s long term goal of understanding the
cellular processes of bone cancer.
Years 1990-1995 1996-2001 2002-2007 2008-2013
Male 0.42 0.54 0.51 0.35
Female 0.38 0.34 0.4 0.39
Years 1990-1995 1996-2001 2002-2007 2008-2013
Male 1.05 1.25 0.90 1.23
Female 0.78 0.88 0.98 0.96
• Raise scientific and public awareness for Bone and Joint cancer.
• Demonstrate critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration by gaining positive
feedback from conference attendees.
• Show understanding of how Bone cancer has impacted the population of Iowa by comparing data
collected from 1990-2013.
• Compare National Bone cancer rates to Iowa Bone cancer rates.
Year
1990-
1992
1993-
1995
1996-
1998
1999-
2001
2002-
2004
2005-
2007
2008-
2010
2011-
2013
Incidence 1.05 1.06 1.41 1.1 0.69 1.1 1.36 1.1
Mortality 0.5 0.33 0.56 0.51 0.41 0.61 0.39 0.46
Year
1990-
1992
1993-
1995
1996-
1998
1999-
2001
2002-
2004
2005-
2007
2008-
2010
2011-
2013
Incidence 0.95 0.6 1.09 0.67 0.96 1.01 1 0.92
Mortality 0.37 0.39 0.27 0.42 0.21 0.58 0.46 0.31
Incidence Rates
Comparison of Bone, Breast, Prostate, Colon, and Lung Cancer,
1990-2013
Bone and Joint Cancer
1990-2013 Females (F) Males (M)
Population at Risk in Iowa 35887229 34626840
Total New Cases 345 394
Total Deaths 173 176
New Cases (Age-Adjusted Rates) 0.9 1.11
Deaths (Age-Adjusted Rates) 0.4 0.5
Percent Survival 56% 55.0%
New Cases (Percent difference F/M) 19% less than M
Deaths (Percent difference F/M) 20% less than M
Average Bone and Joint Cancer in Iowan Females and Males
for the Period 1990-2013
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage(%)
Years
Bone and Joint cancer
Breast cancer
Prostate cancer
Colon cancer
Lung cancer
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage(%)
Years
Iowa Cancer Survival USA Cancer Survival
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
AgeAdjustedRates
Breast cancer
Prostate cancer
Colon cancer
Lung cancer
Bone and Joint cancer
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1990
1993
1996
1999
2002
2005
2008
2011
AgeAdjustedrates
Years
Iowa Cancer Mortality USA Cancer Mortality
1. Iowa Cancer Registry
http://www.cancer-rates.info/ia/
2. SEER Stat Fact Sheets for bone, breast, colon, prostate and lung cancer:
2.1 https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/bones.html
2.2 https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.htm
2.3 https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/colorect.html
2.4 https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/prost.html
2.5 https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/lungb.html