Compared to the national average, early-onset cancer rates are disproportionately rising within Corn Belt states of Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana and Kansas, according to an Oct. 27 report from The Washington Post.
In 2022, cancer incidence rates were 5% higher in those six states among both young adults and the overall population, the report said. Iowa, specifically, has risen from 18th in the nation for cancer incidence in 2000 to 5th in 2025.
Possible contributing factors to the rising incidence in Iowa may be:
- Ultraviolet exposure related to farming
- High rates of binge drinking
- Environmental exposure to cancer-causing agents such as radon, a risk factor for lung cancer, and nitrates, linked to stomach cancers in “multiple studies,” the report said.
Read the full report, including how incidence rates in other states compare, here.
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