Editor’s Note: Cancer in Iowa series explores reasons behind Iowa’s climbing cancer rates

Iowa has the second-highest rate of cancer in the United States.

That’s a sobering statistic, and it took many Iowans by surprise when it was highlighted in the Iowa Cancer Registry's 2023 “Cancer in Iowa” report. Researchers, lawmakers and physicians, among others, formed a task force to look at new ways to fight this deadly disease. Some of those approaches are innovative — breaking patterns established decades earlier. And some task force members are speaking more strongly than ever about the potential causes of cancer and the need for action.

The Gazette’s coverage of the “Cancer in Iowa” reports is usually among our most-read content. In a session at last year's Iowa Ideas, experts suggested more screening and to begin looking deeper at causes.

With an estimated 20,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed in the state each year, every Iowan knows someone who has had cancer, or they’ve experienced it themselves. It touches all of us.

We've heard Iowans' questions in response to the Cancer in Iowa reports: Why is cancer spreading so rapidly here? Does our environment — specifically, agriculture — have anything to do with it? What can we do to protect ourselves?

We set out to answer those questions and give our readers more information.

Over the course of three months, Gazette reporters Erin Jordan and Brittney J. Miller interviewed dozens of people. They spoke with cancer survivors, oncologists, current and former university researchers, lawmakers and educators to understand more about Iowa’s cancer rate and what’s being done about it. They read studies and tracked cancer-related legislation. They traveled to Hudson, Des Moines and Iowa City to pursue this story.

Gazette photographers Nick Rohlman and Geoff Stellfox captured images of cancer survivors, including 15-month-old Devyn Kaas, who battled acute myeloid leukemia. John McGlothlen and Jim Riley created maps and charts. Time Machine writer Diane Langton dug into the Gazette archive to find photos and stories about a cancer cluster investigation in Wellman. And that was before the Gazette digital team, including Bailey Cichon and Becky Lutgen-Gardner, made the series elements look fantastic online.

We dedicated so much time to this series because we think it's that important.

We're especially thankful to our subscribers, as your ongoing support makes this type of in-depth reporting possible. For those of you who have been reading but aren't current subscribers, I'd ask you to consider a subscription. This type of reporting is a public good and ongoing support is crucial to bringing these issues to light.

The final two parts of this four-part series are published in today’s Gazette. The first two, which published last Sunday, can be found on thegazette.com.