Arizona's battle against the ever-persistent threat of cancer was brought into sharp focus this week with two important events converging: the release of a concerning new report on cancer trends and the gathering of determined citizens at the State Capitol for the Cancer Action Day. On Thursday, as per a report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) highlighted by ACS CAN, we learned that the face of cancer is changing, and it's increasingly female. The report shows men's cancer rates are on the decline, while in a worrying shift, women—especially younger ones—are seeing a rise in diagnoses.
Bringing these findings to the doorstep of policymakers, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) hosted the annual Cancer Action Day at Arizona's State Capitol yesterday, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. The goal was stark: to unite advocates and encourage legislators to support public policy aimed at lessening the cancer burden in the community. Unambiguously, the event was a stage for unity, spanning beyond party lines. "Cancer impacts all of us in some way," Miguel Ruiz told FOX 10 Phoenix, sharing his own personal losses to the disease, an advocate chorus keen to bring the fight to the forefront.
Crunching the numbers from the ACS's 2025 report puts things in perspective: Over 42,000 Arizonans are expected to be newly diagnosed with cancer this year. Even as mortality rates fell by one-third since 1991—translating into 4.5 million deaths averted—major disparities endure. Native Americans and Black communities continue to bear a heavier cancer mortality burden, particularly for certain types of the disease, according to the ACS CAN report.
Amid these troubling statistics, ACS CAN is setting out to aggressively advocate for vital cancer prevention and treatment initiatives. The nonprofit is pushing for lawmakers to maintain over $1.3 million in funding for the Well Woman HealthCheck program, a lifeline for underserved women in need of breast and cervical cancer screening and care. "The release of this report highlights the urgent need for state lawmakers to join volunteer advocates with ACS CAN in supporting the fight against cancer," Brian Hummell, ACS CAN Arizona Government Relations Director, informed in a statement included in the ACS CAN release.
