Dr. Shawn Ellerbroek, Wartburg College Professor of Biochemistry and Direstor of Student Research, previously was a full-time cancer research scientist at the University of North Carolina and remains active in cancer research. He currently serves as a member of the Waverly-Shell Rock School Board. This essay first appeared in the Waverly Democrat on February 13.

Cancer sucks. And Iowa, once again, has the second highest cancer rate in the country. Our cancer rates are rising faster than any state, so unfortunately we could soon be number one in America. 

Sometimes I hear, “Oh, it is because Iowa has more old people.” Age does matter when it comes to cancer, but that is not the reason; Iowa’s median age (39.1) is near the national median (39.2) and the same as states whose cancer rates are dropping. 

As a cancer research scientist, I’ve read and heard many opinions about what might be causing Iowa’s cancer problem. Cancer is multifactorial, meaning many chemicals (and UV light) can cause and promote it, making it a big challenge to pinpoint primary causes. 

Iowa’s cancer situation is complex, and as a state we are woefully behind on our cancer epidemiology efforts. Adding to the scope of our cancer problem is that it involves multiple cancer types. We have melanoma (highest in the north part of Iowa), prostate (northwest), lung (south), and breast cancer (urban centers). Colon cancer, especially among millennials and younger Gen Xers, is rising fast, which is downright frightening.

Some cancer drivers are lifestyle-based. Lung, oral, pharyngeal, etc. cancers go hand in hand with tobacco consumption, and Iowans rank above the national average in smoking/e-cigarette use. One in five Iowans aged 18-24 use e-cigarettes. The American Lung Association just gave Iowa an “F” in funding prevention programs and level of tobacco tax. We can do better.

We are top ten in the nation and climbing in obesity and, yes, that too contributes to metabolic dysregulation and cancer growth. Eating “well,” meaning less-processed foods, is incredibly expensive. I heard some great advice once, don’t eat anything your great (great?) grandmother wouldn’t recognize – not many of us have resources for that.

You might have read that Iowa ranks towards the top in alcohol-related cancers (4^th) and that we are really good at binge drinking. Iowa is also really good at not meeting the mental health needs of its residents (we rank last, or near bottom, in a number of metrics). If we view Iowans’ drinking and tobacco use as coping symptoms, having better access to mental health support will arguably help lower our cancer rates.

Still, there are other states whose residents (binge) drink as much or more than we do, and their cancer rates are declining. Other cancer-causing factors are at play in Iowa.

Iowa has a lot of radon gas that comes up from the ground and promotes lung cancer when inhaled. You can’t smell radon in your basement; you need a kit. There are free kits available through the Iowa Cancer Consortium (canceriowa.org). My wife and I feel at ease after mitigating some high radon levels in our Waverly house—especially knowing our kids were going to spend time in that basement. But mitigation is also expensive.

We need to support Iowa legislators, such as Republican State Representative Hans Wilz and Democratic State Representative Austin Baeth, in their efforts to address this issue. They have proposed requiring new residential buildings to be mitigated for radon (House File 82) and a tax credit for radon mitigation (House File 211).  I invite you all to contact your legislative leaders in support of these and similar proposed bills.

The elephant in the room is the potential negative health impact of environmental chemicals, including agrochemicals and forever chemicals (polyfluoroalkyl substances/PFAS). A confrontation is brewing between our health and corporate profits. 

Corporate interests will continue to point to Iowans’ lifestyle choices (the what-about approach) to avoid recognizing and addressing the fact that we just might be making ourselves sick with chemicals being put on our land and in our air and water. I am not buying any of that “what about” diversion. The causes of cancers are multifactorial, more than one thing can be true, and the health of Iowans needs to come first. We need significant appropriation for cancer epidemiology, diagnostic support, and education, not legislation that limits Iowans’ ability to file lawsuits over pesticide-related incidences (Senate Study Bill 1051).

In a bit of “the direction of the wind” good news, Governor Kim Reynolds recently asked for $1 million to be appropriated toward research on the root causes of our cancer rate. Thank you, Governor, for recognizing the issue and support. But Governor, we are going to need significantly more financial support than that to uncover why Iowans are sick and dying from cancer. I am sure you want to find the answers too—even if it points a finger at agrochemicals and corporate activities in this state.

There are many ways to learn more on this issue and make a difference. The Iowa Cancer Consortium is a growing organization, which includes cancer survivors, legislators, scientists, cancer specialists, and activists. Their mission is to “to advance cancer prevention and control in Iowa through advocacy, equity, and collaboration.” To learn more, and even consider joining, visit canceriowa.org. Their resource page, with toolkits and support information, is very useful. 

Another effort to be aware of is the Iowa’s Cancer Registry 99 Counties project. This public health initiative is “aimed at enhancing cancer education and community engagement across the state. Reports containing information about the rates of new cancers and cancer deaths in each county compared to the state of Iowa and the U.S.” Bremer County is scheduled to have a 99 Counties program meeting, open to the public, on February 27, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Tendrils Rooftop (or Zoom), Waverly Health Cancer.  Please search “Iowa 99 Counties Project” to learn more and register online.