Priority Area: Chronic Disease - Cancer

Objectives

By the year 2013, reduce the age-adjusted cancer mortality rate to no more than:

  • 21.3 per 100,000 females for breast cancer.* (Baseline: 26.1 per 100,000, NYS Cancer Registry, 2000-04)
  • 2.0 per 100,000 females for cervical cancer.* (Baseline: 2.6 per 100,000, NYS Cancer Registry, 2000-04)
  • 13.7 per 100,000 for colorectal cancer.* (Baseline: 20.1 per 100,000, NYS Cancer Registry, 2000-04)

Please note additional cancer-related objectives have been included in the priority area section entitled Access to Quality Health Care

Data and Statistics

QARR – Online Report of Managed Care Plan Performance in NYS

Interactive reports on the performance of health plans are available through the NYSDOH website. These reports are designed to help consumers choose health plans that meet their needs and the needs of their families. The reports provide easy-to-read information on health plan performance including provision of primary and preventive health care. Data are provided for commercial and government-sponsored managed care plans.

New York State Department of Health Programs

Cancer Services Program

The Cancer Services Program (CSP) oversees the delivery of comprehensive, guideline-concordant breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening services to eligible NYS residents through contracts with community-based organizations known as CSP partnerships. The CSP partnerships also offer case management services to help people get to diagnostic appointments and obtain referrals for treatment. Additionally, the case managers assist with enrollment in the NYS Medicaid Cancer Treatment Program or, in conjunction with facilitated enrollers, make referrals to public insurance programs. Age-appropriate breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening is available to women and men who do not have health insurance or who have health insurance that does not cover cancer screening or diagnostic services. Of special concern are persons who are geographically or culturally isolated, the medically unserved or underserved, and members of racial, ethnic and cultural minority populations.

Comprehensive Cancer Control Program

The Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (CCCP), in close collaboration with the NYS Cancer Consortium, coordinates the Department's efforts to build strong partnerships with state and local cancer coalitions, assess the burden of cancer and monitor changes in population-based measures, mobilize support for comprehensive cancer control activities, effect policy change to address cancer burden among New Yorkers, implement evidence-based skin, ovarian and colorectal cancer initiatives and participate in the development and implementation of a NYS Cancer Control Plan. The NYS Cancer Control Plan is a strategic plan for cancer control that addresses the breadth of the cancer experience, from prevention and early detection, through quality of life issues, treatment, research, data and surveillance, health workforce issues, palliative care and public policy. The current Plan was for the time period from 2003 to 2010 and a new Plan covering 2011 through 2016 is in development.

New funds recently awarded by the CDC (Demonstrating the Capacity of Comprehensive Cancer Control Programs to Implement Policy and Environmental Cancer Control Interventions) will support the development of a statewide cancer control policy agenda that addresses the highest burden cancers in the state.

Cancer Survivorship Initiatives

Due to earlier detection and improved treatments, approximately 800,000 New Yorkers are estimated to be living with or beyond cancer today. These individuals are at increased risk for secondary cancers and for long-term effects associated with cancer treatment. The Cancer Survivorship Initiatives Program oversees the delivery of a range of supportive services to cancer survivors in NYS through contractual agreements with local community-based organizations. "Cancer survivors" are defined as people who have been diagnosed with cancer at any time in their lives or those family members, friends and caregivers who have been affected by the diagnosis. Legal Supportive Services contractors provide free or low-cost legal services to individuals with cancer and their families for cancer-related issues, such as assistance with benefits and entitlements, insurance denials, job discrimination, estate planning and preparation of wills/advance directives. Community-Based Breast Cancer Education, Counseling, Outreach and Support Services contractors are grass roots, freestanding organizations that provide a range of supportive programs for persons diagnosed with breast cancer. Other issues likely to impact cancer survivors, such as palliative care and guideline-concurrent follow-up care plans, are addressed through various means by the program, such as through the development of a Palliative Care professional development webinar in 2010 and new plans for 2011-2012 to work with outside experts on a standardized written care plan for use with cancer survivors completing treatment.

Strategies – The Evidence Base for Effective Interventions

New York State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan: 2003-10
Provides a roadmap for the state to achieve reductions in cancer rates and improve outcomes for people with cancer. The 2011-2016 Plan will be posted once it is available.
Guide to Community Preventive Services (The Community Guide)
Presents systematic reviews of the effectiveness of interventions for increasing screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Guide to Clinical Preventive Services
The Task Force is convened by the Public Health Service to rigorously evaluate clinical research in order to assess the merits of preventive measures, including screening tests, counseling, immunizations, and preventive medications. The Guide includes evidence-based recommendations for screening, counseling and preventive medications to reduce the risk of cancer.
Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T.
The Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T. is a national resource portal that provides access to data and research-tested resources that can help planners, program staff, and researchers to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based cancer control programs.
Purchaser's Guide to Clinical Preventive Services
Developed in collaboration with the National Business Group on Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Purchaser's Guide translates clinical guidelines and medical evidence, providing large employers with the information they need to select, define, and implement preventive medical benefits such as colorectal cancer screening and tobacco use treatment.
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute web pages provide detailed information about multiple cancer types as well as information pertaining to current clinical trials and other research opportunities.
National Cancer Institute: Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER)
The National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service is a telephone resource for the public as well as professionals to obtain answers to questions about cancer and clinical trials as well as access to NCI's smoking Quitline.
The National Cancer Institute: Research Tested Intervention Programs
Research-tested Intervention Programs (RTIPs) is a searchable database of cancer control interventions and program materials designed to provide program planners and public health practitioners easy and immediate access to research-tested materials.
Healthy People 2020
Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year objectives for improving the health of all Americans. Objectives specific to cancer prevention and control are included as part of the overall Healthy People initiative.
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)
The CDC's NBCCEDP, from which the Cancer Services Program receives some of its funding, provides access to critical breast and cervical cancer screening services for underserved women in the United States.
National Colorectal Cancer Control Program (NCRCCP)
The CDC's NCRCCP, from which the Cancer Services Program receives some of its funding, supports population-based screening efforts to increase rates of colorectal cancer screening.
National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP)
The CDC's NCCCP, from which the Comprehensive Cancer Control Program receives its funding, supports collaborative processes across the country that work to reduce the burden of cancer. A national action plan for cancer survivorship is also available.
CDC — Cancer Survivorship web pages
These pages provide additional information and resources for readers interested in learning more about cancer survivorship.

Partners

More Information

For general information about cancer and related resources, please visit the Department of Health Cancer Web Pages

Bureau of Cancer Prevention and Control
Riverview Center,150 Broadway - Room 350
Albany, NY 12204-0678
Phone: (518) 474-1222
Fax: (518) 473-0642
Email: CanServ@health.ny.gov