A new report states that in spite of declining death rates, cancer has exceeded heart disease as the leading cause of death among Hispanics in the US. According to American Cancer Society researchers, 29,935 people of Hispanic origin in the US died of cancer in 2009, compared with 29,611 deaths from heart disease that same year.
In 2012, an estimated 112,800 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed and 33,200 cancer deaths will occur among Hispanics, the largest and fastest growing major demographic group in the US.
Compared with non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics have lower incidence and death rates for all cancers combined and for the 4 most common cancers (breast, prostate, lung and bronchus, and colorectum). Among those 4 cancer types, lung cancer is most significant, as rates among Hispanics are about one-half those of non-Hispanic whites.
However, higher incidence and mortality rates occur among Hispanics for cancers of the stomach, liver, uterine cervix, and gallbladder. This reflects greater exposure to cancer-causing infectious agents and lower rates of screening for cervical cancer. In fact, incidence and death rates for cervical cancer are 50% to 70% higher in Hispanic women compared to non-Hispanic whites. Moreover, for most cancer sites, Hispanics are diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease more often than non-Hispanic whites.
The elevated cancer burden among US Hispanics results primarily from the group’s unique profile in terms of age distribution and socioeconomic status. Almost 1 in 3 non-Hispanics is 55 years or older, the age group among whom the majority of cancers are diagnosed, compared with 1 in 10 US Hispanics. In 2010, over 26% of Hispanics lived in poverty, and approximately 30% were uninsured. In comparison, that same year, 9.9% of non-Hispanic whites lived in poverty, and 11.7% were uninsured.
When it comes to reducing cancer risk among Hispanics, strategies include increasing use of screening and available vaccines, plus employing effective interventions to reduce alcohol consumption, obesity, and tobacco use.
“The most effective strategies for reducing the cancer burden in these underserved communities utilize tailored, culturally appropriate interventions, such as patient navigation, to increase access to medical services.” said Rebecca Siegel, MPH, lead author of the report.
Source: ACS.