Incidence Rate
The number of new cancer cases in a population over a certain time (usually per 100,000 people per year). Think of it as how often cancer is being newly diagnosed.
Mortality Rate
The number of cancer deaths in a population over a certain time (usually per 100,000 people per year).
Prevalence
The total number of people living with cancer at a certain point in time (both recent and past diagnoses).
Age-Adjusted Rate
A statistical method that “levels the playing field” when comparing cancer rates across places or groups by accounting for differences in age distribution. For example, Florida has more older adults, so age-adjustment helps make its cancer rates comparable to younger states.
Delay-Adjusted Incidence Rate
Cancer data takes time to be fully reported and verified. “Delay-adjusted” rates include statistical corrections for cases that weren’t yet reported at the time of data collection, giving a more accurate picture of the true incidence.
Confidence Interval (CI)
A range of numbers that shows the reliability of a statistic. Example: a breast cancer incidence rate might be 130 per 100,000 women, with a 95% CI of 125–135. This means we’re very confident the true rate falls within that range.
Annual Percent Change (APC)
The average yearly increase or decrease in cancer rates over time. For example, an APC of –1.2% means rates are going down by about 1.2% per year.
Trend Analysis
Looking at how cancer rates move over time — rising, falling, or staying flat.
Stage at Diagnosis
How far cancer has progressed when it’s found. (Localized = still in the original organ, Regional = spread nearby, Distant = spread far, like to bones or lungs.)
Survival Rate
The percentage of patients still alive after a certain number of years post-diagnosis (often 5 years).
