Title: 10 States Where Cancer Incidence Is the Highest | The Motley Fool
Headings: 10 States Where Cancer Incidence Is the Highest
10 States Where Cancer Incidence Is the Highest
According to the CDC, these 10 states have the highest age-adjusted cancer incidence rates. Find out what some of the biggest risk factors are in these states as well as what therapies are being introduced to curb the rising tide of cancer diagnoses.

Content: Getty Images. Another prime cancer-causing factor that you'll see some commonality to in these states is smoking. According to a compilation from Health.com, Kentucky and Louisiana rank third and fourth in terms of the percentage of the adult population that smokes. There is perhaps no greater cancer-causing risk factor than tobacco products, so I feel pretty confident surmising that this is a reason why these aforementioned two states are among the highest in terms of cancer incidence rates in the country. Battling the bulge
Now that we have a better understanding of where cancer incidence rates are the highest, and what some of the risk factors are that could be pushing these rates higher, let's examine a few therapies, both approved and in clinical studies, that could be used to win the war against cancer. However, before I dive into three cancer therapies I'd suggest you have your eyes on, I think it prudent to mention, especially given how much of a risk factor obesity can be, that increasing awareness about obesity and obesity prevention could push physicians, consumers, and insurers toward a greater adoption of chronic weight management drugs over the coming years. Both Arena Pharmaceuticals ( NASDAQ: ARNA) and VIVUS have FDA-approved anti-obesity drugs already on the market in Belviq and Qsymia; however, sales of both has been nothing short of abysmal thus far. VIVUS' Qsymia was the first to reach pharmacy shelves and has delivered the greater percentage of weight loss in trials, yet Belviq offers the more favorable safety profile of the two drugs, making it the more logical choice, at least in my opinion, for physicians.