Iowa’s cancer rate is the second highest in the nation for the third straight year, and a comprehensive study released Friday offers little optimism.
The 2026 Cancer in Iowa Report predicts about 21,700 Iowans will be diagnosed with invasive cancer this year, and 6,400 Iowans are expected to die from the disease. Both figures are higher than in last year’s report.
While many states are seeing cancer rates decline, Iowa Cancer Registry Director Mary Charlton says researchers have not been able to pinpoint why Iowa’s numbers continue to rise, noting some risk factors may date back decades. Charlton says nitrates in drinking water may be one possible contributor.
Compared with the 2025 report, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in Iowa, while the most common cancers diagnosed in the state are breast, prostate, lung, colorectal and melanoma.
