Cancer Concentration: Lessons From Neighbors  Last Modified:
Monday, April 8, 2013 at 9:48 p.m.  North Central Florida leads
the state in cancer deaths. That fact will likely lead the
Gainesville-area region — not far north of Polk in the middle of
Central Florida — to take a hard look at itself. Lessons from
those neighbors to the north may apply here and be worthy of
study.  The death rates for the state's 10 most prevalent
cancers are highest in North Central Florida, reports The
Gainesville Sun. The region's rural counties are driving the
high mortality rates.  There are some cultural differences that
might be a factor, because some rural patients can be reluctant
to go to the doctor until problems become severe. There are also
lifestyle choices at play such as higher smoking rates in rural
counties.  While one University of Florida expert on pesticides
dismissed a link between those chemicals and the higher cancer
rates, environmental scientist Bob Knight says it's at least
worth exploration.  Perhaps th