SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois is one of a dozen states that have been awarded a grade of "A" for its efforts to track, control and prevent cancer through the collection of state cancer data.

The state report card was announced today by Trust for America's Health, a non-profit organization support by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts.

"We are committed to gathering data that can help find a cure, improve treatment options and develop public health programs aimed at reducing cancer rates," said Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director. "Illinois has made a concerted effort to put in place the best possible cancer registry and this recognition reflects the dedication of our staff to cancer surveillance and programs in our state."

The Illinois State Cancer Registry has been in operation since 1986 and has collected information on more than 700,000 diagnosed cancer cases.

Illinois also was one of 11 states that received special mention for linking state cancer data with health-related behavioral lifestyle, occupational and environmental information. The information is used to better understand risk factors associated with cancer rates within specific populations.

Cancer disease remains as one of the top health concerns and is responsible for one of every four deaths in the United States.

A total of 34 states and the District of Columbia participated in the Trust for America's Health cancer registry survey. Sixteen states either declined to participate or provided insufficient information to be evaluated.

Other Midwestern states that received an "A" were Michigan and Missouri, while Indiana and Wisconsin received a "B."