Cancer still leading cause of death for US Hispanics.

Abstract

CancerVolume 122, Issue 1 p. 12-13 CancerScopeFree Access Cancer still leading cause of death for US Hispanics First published: 17 December 2015 https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.29816AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL A comprehensive report finds that cancer remains the leading cause of death for US Hispanics even though it is the second leading cause of death overall in the United States.1 At the same time, however, cancer incidence rates are 20% lower among Hispanics versus non-Hispanic whites, and cancer death rates are 30% lower for Hispanics. The report “Cancer Statistics for Hispanics/Latinos” is published every 3 years by the American Cancer Society. The authors note that Hispanics are the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the nation and represented 17.4% of the total population in 2014. In 2015, 125,900 new cancer cases and 37,800 cancer deaths are expected among Hispanics/Latinos nationwide. The report includes some of the following projections: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for Hispanic men and accounts for about 1 in 6 cancer deaths (17%). Liver cancer is projected to surpass colorectal cancer as the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Hispanic men. Liver cancer incidence and death rates in Hispanic men and women are approximately double those in non-Hispanic whites. Among Hispanic women, the leading cause of cancer death is breast cancer (16%), which is followed by lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Lung cancer death rates for Hispanic women are 70% lower than those for non-Hispanic white women because of the historically low smoking prevalence among Hispanic women. Cancer rates have been decreasing since 1995 in Hispanic men and since 1996 in Hispanic women (4 years later than declines began in non-Hispanic whites). The main reason that cancer incidence rates are lower in Hispanics versus non-Hispanic whites is that Hispanics are less likely to be diagnosed with the 4 most common cancers: breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. However, they have a higher risk for cancers associated with infectious agents, such as those of the stomach, liver, and cervix. The authors also note that Hispanics are particularly vulnerable to cancer inequalities. They are less likely to be diagnosed at an early stage, for example, particularly for melanoma and female breast cancer. This appears to occur even when socioeconomic status and health care access are similar. In the future, the Hispanic population will include more of the second generation born in the United States versus those emigrating from other countries. As a result, they will have adopted more of a US diet and lifestyle, which may increase their cancer burden, the authors note. The researchers also emphasize the importance of culturally appropriate lay health advisors and patient navigators; targeted, community-based intervention programs to increase screening, vaccination, and healthy behaviors; and funding for further research into cancer risk and prevention among subgroups of the Hispanic population. References 1 Siegel RL, Fedewa SA, Miller KD, et al. Cancer statistics for Hispanics/Latinos, 2015. CA Cancer J Clin. 2015; 65: 457– 480. Volume122, Issue1January 1, 2016Pages 12-13 This article also appears in:CancerScope Archive 2014-2019 ReferencesRelatedInformation