IOWA CITY, Iowa — More than 7,000 Central Iowans are projected to be diagnosed with cancer this year, according to the Iowa Cancer Registry’s 2024 Cancer Report.

The Iowa Registry collects data from all cancer cases of people who reside in Iowa and compares them to the rest of the country. The 2024 Iowa Cancer Report concluded that Iowa continues to have the second-highest and fastest-growing rate of new cancers in the country.

This year’s report also focused heavily on alcohol.

Dr. Mary Charlton, the Director of the Iowa Cancer Registry said, “We definitely have more work to do. This year’s report focusing on alcohol was picking one of those risk factors, not necessarily the most important risk factor, but one of the most important risk factors that we as Iowans know that we have and that we’re out of line with the rest of the country.”

The report also outlined that Iowa ranked fourth in the nation for binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as more than five drinks a day for men and more than four drinks a day for women.

Our state is also growing in alcohol-related cancers. These include larynx cancer, mouth and oral cavity cancer, esophagus cancer, throat cancer, breast cancer in women, liver cancer, and colon and rectum cancer.

“Alcohol itself turns into a carcinogen in our system and it can damage our DNA. What it does also is it blocks the absorption of nutrients and vitamins that it takes to repair damage to the DNA. So it’s working in both ways, creating damage and preventing damage from being fixed,” said Charlton.

While alcohol isn’t the only risk factor for cancer, the report focused on it because most people don’t know that it’s a carcinogen. Charlton also said that excessive alcohol intake can multiply the risk of developing cancer if people also have other risks, like smoking, not being active, and not eating a balanced diet.

This information could’ve helped cancer survivor, John Stokes.

“I did not really realize when I was drinking Jack Daniels that would lead me to cancer,” said the larynx cancer survivor. He said that this new information can now help others lower their risk.

The Iowa Cancer Registry collaborates with other groups across the state. One group that they work closely with is the Iowa Cancer Consortium. The consortium developed the Iowa Cancer Plan, which outlines ways to help reduce the impact of cancer.

The plan suggests that policies like increasing state tax on alcohol can help lower cancer rates in the state.