History

In 1996, the CCC published the original "Colorado Cancer Prevention and Control Plan 2000." Statewide goals for reductions in cancer death rates for the Year 2000 were defined in the mid-1990s by the CCC based on cancer death rates and trends from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.

This publication assisted cancer prevention and control partners with focusing agreed-upon goals to reduce cancer mortality for all Colorado citizens. The plan included objectives and suggested strategies to reduce cancer mortality, increase surveillance activities, increase primary and secondary prevention efforts, and address the availability of appropriate cancer treatments.

Most of those goals were met or exceeded by the successes in cancer prevention, early detection, and improved treatment across Colorado. Reductions in death rates between 1991 and 1998 for the major cancer sites were striking. In that seven-year period, breast cancer death rates declined by 29.3%, prostate cancer death rates declined by 27.5%, colorectal cancer death rates declined by 15.7%, and lung cancer death rates declined by 8.8%.

In 2000, the Colorado Cancer Coalition established goals for the Year 2010, which led the effort to update the Colorado Cancer Plan for 2005. This 2005 report included data on cancer incidence and mortality, and described risk factors, screening guidelines, prevention strategies, and treatment recommendations.

Cancer death rates continued to decline from 1998 to 2007. In that nine-year period, breast cancer death rates declined by 19.7%, prostate cancer death rates declined by 7.7%, colorectal cancer death rates declined by 23.8%, and lung cancer death rates declined by 11.1%.

The Colorado Cancer Plan 2010-2015 objectives for reducing the cancer burden in Colorado are based on Colorado surveillance data and the national objectives, as well as issues unique to Colorado. Objectives and their recommended strategies cover cancer mortality, health disparities, primary prevention, secondary prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, quality of life, and surveillance.

Although the reasons for declining cancer rates are multifaceted, the efforts of the Colorado Cancer Coalition play an integral part. The Colorado Cancer Plan goals are to both reduce cancer mortality and to influence selected behaviors that relate to cancer mortality. This new set of goals, objectives, and strategies is intended as a framework for continued improvements by Year 2015. Goal-setting has been created by consensus among the Colorado Cancer Coalition members. These goals and objectives take into account the history and experiences of cancer control in Colorado. The Colorado Cancer Coalition believes that defining these cancer goals, objectives and strategies will help to empower all of us in Colorado's fight against cancer.