CANCER: VARIATIONS IN RATES
While it is true that cancer strikes people of all ages, races, cultures, and socioeconomic levels, it is equally true that some Americans are at greater risk. Overall, blacks are more likely to develop cancer than persons of any other racial and ethnic group. In 1998, incidence rates were 443 per 100,000 blacks and 403 per 100,000 whites; 275 per 100,000 Hispanics; 279 per 100,000 Asian/Pacific Islanders; and 153 per 100,000 American Indians. Cancer sites for which blacks have significantly higher incidence and mortality rates include the esophagus, uterus, cervix, stomach, liver, prostate, and larynx. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) believe that these differences are due more to blacks’ lower average socioeconomic status and generally more limited access to health care than to any inherent physical characteristics. Some findings indicate that some cancers may simply manifest themselves in different races.Cancer incidence and mortality rates within other minority groups, such as Hispanics, are often lower (sometimes by as much as 25 percent or more) than those of white or black Americans. Due to Hispanics’ low average socioeconomic status, we might expect that they would have cancer rates similar to those of blacks. But Hispanics seem to be “protected” from high rates. Why is this so? No one knows for sure, but the answer may lie in differences in various groups’ diets, exercise patterns, or other culturally influenced behaviors. Because cancer risk is strongly associated with lifestyle and behavior, differences in ethnic and cultural groups can provide clues to factors involved in the development of cancer. Culturally influenced values and belief systems can also affect whether or not a person seeks care, participates in screenings, or follows recommended treatment options. Socioeconomic factors such as lack of health insurance or lack of transportation to major treatment centers can lead to late diagnosis and poor survival prospects.*2/277/5*
