New Index Maps Cancer Mortality Hot Spots

Adults in communities where cancer deaths are falling more slowly may face barriers tied to access, income, and transportation.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Cancer

New Index Maps Cancer Mortality Hot Spots

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Do you think where you live affects your chances of getting cancer?

Researchers at Northern Illinois University (NIU) developed a cancer mortality index that measures cancer fatalities across populations. The team also analyzed national cancer mortality trends from 2004-2008 compared with 2014-2018 to identify areas where rates are changing more slowly or more quickly.

Why it matters

Cancer is one of the top five leading causes of death in the United States, and the index gives public health officials a way to see where progress is lagging. Mapping these hot and cold spots can help direct attention to communities where access to care, social conditions, and environmental factors may be shaping outcomes.

The analysis is a national-scale comparison of CDC-based cancer mortality trend data across two periods, 2004-2008 and 2014-2018, with areas classified as hot spots or cold spots based on how quickly their rates decreased. Some environmental factors could not be included because sufficient data were lacking, so the index is incomplete on that dimension.

The players

Northern Illinois University (NIU)

A public university in DeKalb, Illinois, whose researchers developed the cancer mortality index and whose students from public health and engineering contributed to the work.

The details

The NIU index combines publicly available data on access to care, social and demographic factors, and environmental factors into a single measure. Researchers then compared cancer mortality trends between the earlier and later periods to label areas where rates fell more slowly as hot spots and areas where rates fell more quickly as cold spots. In hot spots, the strongest associated risk factors were preventable hospital stays, being aged 65 or older, poor mental health, transportation issues, and low income.

2004-2008: earlier period of cancer mortality trend data analyzed.
2014-2018: later period of cancer mortality trend data analyzed.
November 5, 2026: article published about the NIU cancer mortality index.

Health Landscape

Cancer remains one of the top five causes of death in the United States, and mortality trends differ meaningfully across communities. This index uses CDC mortality data to move beyond national averages and identify where declines are lagging.

Residents in areas flagged as hot spots may want to ask their primary care provider about cancer screening schedules that fit their age and history. Discussing transportation, mental health support, and access to routine care with a clinician can help address factors the index links to slower mortality declines.

The takeaway

The index shows that cancer outcomes are shaped by more than biology, including access to care and everyday social conditions. Ask your doctor which cancer screenings are appropriate for your age and risk profile, and treat preventable hospital stays and transportation barriers as issues worth raising in your care planning.