Healthcare Professionals - Local Research

The Cancer Institute's Epidemiology Research Program studies the incidence, distribution, and control of cancer in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Study results are being used for research strategies and education programs designed to prevent or reduce death and disability from cancer in this community.

Cancer Incidence and Mortality

To access the Standardized Incidence and Mortality Ratio maps for 1998-2003, please select form the search criteria below.

To view the Standardized Incidence Ratio maps please click on the links below.

Technical Notes

Standardized Incidence Ratios
The maps on these pages display Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIRs) of selected cancers.  An SIR is the ratio of the number of observed:expected cancer cases and is expressed as a percent.  SIRs are calculated by dividing the number of cancer cases observed (actual) in a county over five years by the number of cases that are expected to occur in that county, and then multiplying the dividend by 100.  SIR = (Observed/Expected) X 100.  For example, an SIR of 150 means that there were 50% more cancer cases in a county than expected.  An SIR of 60 means that the number of cancer cases detected was only 60% of the number expected.

The observed cases are the total number of primary cancer cases reported to the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry.*  Please note, this is not necessarily the same as the number of people who were diagnosed with cancer; some individuals may have more than one primary malignancy diagnosed in this time period.  The expected cases are the total number of primary cancers that are expected to occur in the county if the residents of the county had experienced the same age-specific cancer incidence rates as the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program.

On the maps shown here, counties with an SIR of 100 or greater are shown in shades of red; counties with SIRs less than 100 are shown in blue.  Counties with insufficient data, i.e., fewer than five observed cases, are colored gray.  Statistical significance is indicated by the shade of the color.  Counties shown in dark red had an SIR that was statistically significantly higher than expected (p < 0.05).  Counties shown in pink had SIRs that were elevated but which were not significantly higher than expected.  Counties shown in dark blue had SIRs that were significantly lower than expected; and counties in light blue had SIRs that were low but which were not significantly lower than expected. 

Statistical Significance
Statistical significance is an indication that the results were not likely to have been due to chance.  Counties with statistically significant elevated SIRs (shown in dark red) are counties where the cancer incidence was higher than expected and this difference was not likely to have been due to chance alone.  Similarly, counties with significantly reduced SIRs (shown in dark blue) are counties where cancer incidence was lower than expected and this difference was also not due to chance alone.  Counties shown in pink or light blue had SIRs that were either higher or lower than expected but these differences could have been simply due to chance.  An SIR that is not statistically significant should not be interpreted as evidence that cancer risk is unusually high (or low) in that county.

 Data Source *
These data were provided by the Bureau of Health Statistics and Research, Pennsylvania Department of Health. The Department specifically disclaims responsibility for any analyses, interpretations or conclusions.