Iowa Governors race and cancer
Published by itstooimportant.com in political - Iowa · Wednesday 08 Jul 2026 · 8 minutes
The United States average cancer incidence rate is 442.3 cases per 100,000. Iowa is 486.6 per 100,000, 14% higher than the national average. There are differences through out the state with the highest rates in Palo Alto County in Northwest Iowa at 658.1 per 100,000, roughly 50% above the national average and Jefferson County in the southeast has the lowest rate in the state at 400.1 per 100,000.
The specific cancers listed are Lung Cancer, Melanoma, Breast Cancer, and Prostate Cancer. Reports list the specifics of the cancers being a combination of nature, agricultural activities, and personal activities. Here is a summary of the cancers directly quoting the Iowa Cancer registry site:
Lung Cancer
- Incidence is declining more slowly in Iowa than in the rest of the US (Figure 3). Iowa ranks 2nd to last in reducing age adjusted lung cancer incidence from 1990 to 2019 (5% decline in Iowa vs. 23% decline in the US.).
- Iowa ranks last in reducing lung cancer mortality from 1990-2019 (6% decline in Iowa vs. 27% decline in the US.).
- Among women, age-adjusted lung cancer mortality increased 26% in Iowa compared to a 6% decrease in the US.
- Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality and accounts for almost 25% of cancer deaths in Iowa.
- Lung cancer can largely be prevented. The two most common risk factors include:
- Tobacco use -- causes over 80% of lung cancers, and 15% of Iowans still report smoking.
- Radon -- the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers; all of Iowa is at high risk for exposure.
Melanoma
- Iowa has the 5th highest incidence rate and it is rising faster in Iowa than most other states (Figure 4).
- The primary driver of melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or use of indoor tanning beds.
Breast Cancer
- Iowa has the 9th highest incidence rate, and it is rising faster in Iowa than most other states (Figure 5).
- Iowa’s breast cancer trend is mostly increasing in the early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive type.
- Risk factors for breast cancer include alcohol and obesity, both of which increase estrogen levels:
- Drinking alcohol -- Iowa ranks 4th in the US for binge-drinking and for alcohol-associated cancers.
- Obesity -- Iowa ranks 11th for obesity (36%) and only 1 in 5 Iowans meet physical activity guidelines.
Prostate Cancer
- Iowa has the 4th highest incidence rate among Black males and the 7th highest rate among White males, and it is rising faster in Iowa than in many other states (Figure 6).
- There are few known risk factors for prostate cancer. However, some evidence suggests:
- Tobacco use, binge-drinking and heavy drinking are associated with prostate cancer incidence and mortality.
- Obesity may increase the risk of developing an aggressive, fast-growing, and deadly form of prostate cancer.
- Chemical exposures (e.g., exposure to arsenic, exposure to PFAS among firefighters, and exposure to certain pesticides among farmers) have been linked to prostate cancer.
Nicholas Gluba does not address the cancer issue directly, he does address the water quality issue. From his web site https://glubaforiowa.info:
The waterways in Iowa have been overlooked for far too long, and as I advocate for property rights in Iowa elections, I propose a plan to address this issue. By utilizing pre-existing infrastructure, we can significantly improve water quality and eliminate the impurities that have been diminishing it. By reallocating funds already present in the state budget towards filtration and monitoring systems, we can restore clean and navigable water in Iowa. Similar systems have been successfully implemented in other states that recognized this challenge years, or even decades, ago. It’s time for Iowa to take proactive steps and restore our water quality.
Zach Rahn in summary:
- Opposition to Immunity: He vows to veto any legislation granting legal immunity to pesticide manufacturers and holds companies accountable for product safety.
- Regulatory Stance: Lahn argues for confronting "big Ag" and big pharma, asserting that large corporations have misled farmers about chemical safety.
- Policy Goals: His platform aims to move Iowa to the bottom half of cancer diagnoses through clean water initiatives, independent research, and stricter rules on large agricultural operations.
- Campaign Context: Lahn defeated Trump-backed candidate Randy Feenstra in the June 2, 2026, primary, with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement strongly endorsing his anti-pesticide stance.
From his web site https://www.zachlahn.com:
Independent Safety Testing, Conduct independent state safety tests on products used in Iowa.
Hold Companies Accountable. Pursue antitrust suits against monopolistic agricultural input companies to help our farmers.
University Research Redirection. The University of Iowa (one of the best medical research colleges in the country) must aim its efforts at solving Iowa's cancer crisis.
Clean Water Priority. Give incentives to our farmers to use prove solution that address agricultural runoff and water contamination.
Rob Sand in summary:
- Chemical Company Accountability: Opposing legislation that grants legal immunity to pesticide manufacturers, noting that foundational studies on glyphosate safety have been retracted.
- Water Quality Investment: Restoring funding for water quality monitors, implementing transparent manure management plans, and creating a real-time "dirty water" notification system for nitrate and E. coli spikes.
- Radon and Screening: Mandating radon warnings in home sale contracts, expanding testing, and training more mitigation professionals to address the state's high lung cancer rates.
- Cabinet-Level Task Force: Establishing a dedicated cancer task force within the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate expert responses and best practices.
- Preventive Restrictions: Banning minors from using commercial tanning beds to curb rising melanoma rates and expanding conservation programs through tax credits for farmers.
His web site is quite detailed on this issue. Here is the direct link https://robsand.com/issues/healthier-iowa/.
When it comes to the cancer question in Iowa, all three candidates recognize the need to make sure the water system is looked at and corrected. There is a question of how existing resources allocated to the task are being used. With three major public universities in the state along with a number of private and community colleges, these schools should be given direction to include this in the various science and Ag programs to help finds solutions. Teaching of science is always improved with hands on opportunities.
Other cancers form a more interesting situation. What is most interesting is these others have been researched for years. With melanoma we have been told constantly to use sunscreen to protect from the UV light. It seems however that the sunscreens available in the unites states are limited by the FDA and Australia and also European countries have access to better products. Aside from the state suggesting sunscreens, the rest is beyond their control. There is talk about changing regulations in tanning beds to put age limits on their use. I have not seen statistics on melanoma to determine the effect.
Lung cancer is shown that tobacco use contributes to 80% of Iowa’s cases. Radon contributes to 15%. There are no statistics that I have seen the show the numbers of the combined environment of smoking and radon. This would help give a better handle on the radon question.
Other dietary issues seem to give cause to breast cancer and prostate cancer. There are dietary options that can be done to cut back such as obesity. It should be noted exercise and living habits that can help. How much any government can do to change this is questionable.
From our candidates, it seems that one wants to keep it very small and get the water cleaned up. Another candidate wants to create bureaucracy for every problem. I learned about how to clean up water pollution when in high school back in the 1970’s. The cleanup while there was an investment there was direct economic benefit. Companies started cleaning up after themselves finding out that their next cycle starting point became less expensive. They also understood their processes.
Check to see which of the candidates suggestions look to create solution and not unrealistic bureaucracies. Define the need then the process then enforce.
