Highmark was created in 1996 through the consolidation of Blue Cross of Western Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Blue Shield. Highmark's product portfolio includes traditional health insurance coverage, managed care health plans, life insurance, and dental and vision programs. In Western Pennsylvania, the company does business as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Approximately 1,228,600 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year. In the United States, men have a 1 in 2 lifetime risk of developing cancer, and for women the risk is 1 in 3.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease.
One of every four deaths in the United States is from cancer. Since 1990, there have been approximately 5 million cancer deaths. The national cancer death rate fell 2.6 percent between 1991 and 1995. Approximately 8 million Americans alive today have a history of cancer. Some of these people can be considered cured, while others still have evidence of cancer.