States Where Cancer Kills the Most People

5. Louisiana
> Cancer mortality rate in 2019: 168 per 100,000 (total: 9,485)
> Number of cancer diagnoses in 2017: 731 per 100,00 people — 17th highest (total: 26,125)
> Lung cancer mortality rate in 2017: 46 per 100,000 people — 10th highest (total: 2,559)
> Breast cancer mortality rate in 2017: 13 per 100,000 people — 2nd highest (total: 697)
> Prostate cancer mortality rate in 2017: 21 per 100,000 people — 6th highest (total: 461)
> Share of population with history of smoking: 23.0% — 9th lowest
> Share of adult population currently smoking: 23.1% — 3rd highest
> Adult obesity rate: 35.4% — 4th highest
> Residents without health insurance: 8.9% — 21st highest
> Poverty rate: 19.0% — 2nd highest

4. Oklahoma
> Cancer mortality rate in 2019: 173 per 100,000 (total: 8,309)
> Number of cancer diagnoses in 2017: 669 per 100,00 people — 15th lowest (total: 19,871)
> Lung cancer mortality rate in 2017: 47 per 100,000 people — 8th highest (total: 2,210)
> Breast cancer mortality rate in 2017: 12 per 100,000 people — 4th highest (total: 560)
> Prostate cancer mortality rate in 2017: 20 per 100,000 people — 12th highest (total: 388)
> Share of population with history of smoking: 25.3% — 22nd highest
> Share of adult population currently smoking: 20.1% — 12th highest
> Adult obesity rate: 33.7% — 7th highest
> Residents without health insurance: 14.3% — 2nd highest
> Poverty rate: 15.2% — 8th highest

3. West Virginia
> Cancer mortality rate in 2019: 175 per 100,000 (total: 4,604)
> Number of cancer diagnoses in 2017: 842 per 100,00 people — the highest (total: 12,143)
> Lung cancer mortality rate in 2017: 49 per 100,000 people — 3rd highest (total: 1,338)
> Breast cancer mortality rate in 2017: 12 per 100,000 people — 10th highest (total: 302)
> Prostate cancer mortality rate in 2017: 16 per 100,000 people — 5th lowest (total: 177)
> Share of population with history of smoking: 26.4% — 10th highest
> Share of adult population currently smoking: 26.0% — the highest
> Adult obesity rate: 36.7% — 2nd highest
> Residents without health insurance: 6.7% — 18th lowest
> Poverty rate: 16.0% — 6th highest

2. Kentucky
> Cancer mortality rate in 2019: 176 per 100,000 (total: 9,975)
> Number of cancer diagnoses in 2017: 806 per 100,00 people — 3rd highest (total: 27,714)
> Lung cancer mortality rate in 2017: 57 per 100,000 people — the highest (total: 3,152)
> Breast cancer mortality rate in 2017: 12 per 100,000 people — 11th highest (total: 642)
> Prostate cancer mortality rate in 2017: 19 per 100,000 people — 23rd lowest (total: 404)
> Share of population with history of smoking: 25.0% — 23rd lowest
> Share of adult population currently smoking: 24.6% — 2nd highest
> Adult obesity rate: 33.8% — 6th highest
> Residents without health insurance: 6.4% — 14th lowest
> Poverty rate: 16.3% — 4th highest

1. Mississippi
> Cancer mortality rate in 2019: 179 per 100,000 (total: 6,587)
> Number of cancer diagnoses in 2017: 731 per 100,00 people — 16th highest (total: 16,585)
> Lung cancer mortality rate in 2017: 49 per 100,000 people — 4th highest (total: 1,804)
> Breast cancer mortality rate in 2017: 14 per 100,000 people — the highest (total: 494)
> Prostate cancer mortality rate in 2017: 26 per 100,000 people — the highest (total: 373)
> Share of population with history of smoking: 21.9% — 5th lowest
> Share of adult population currently smoking: 22.2% — 6th highest
> Adult obesity rate: 36.8% — the highest
> Residents without health insurance: 13.0% — 5th highest
> Poverty rate: 19.6% — the highest