For 2021’s National Minority Cancer Awareness Month, we are addressing the statistics behind a glaring issue. These vetted statistics and conclusions have been produced by leading institutions, including government agencies. We encourage you to not only consider the information below, but to follow the links to the studies we have drawn from.
Let’s be informed and educated. Only then can we make a lasting change.
A Few Facts about the USA
The USA’s population consists of…
- 76.3% ethnically White
- 18.5% Latinx American
- 13.4% African American
- 1.3% Indigenous People
- 6.1% Asian/Pacific Islander American
Keep these demographics in mind as we look at how cancer affects each of the four minority populations listed above: Latinx Americans, African Americans, Indigenous Peoples, and Asian/Pacific Islander Americans.
Latinx Americans and Cancer
- Comprise only 7.4% of new cancer diagnoses (Whites comprise 78.6%)
- Comprise only 6% of Americans who die from cancer (Whites comprise 79.7%)
- 76 Latinx Americans are diagnosed with cancer for every 100 Whites
- 70 Latinx Americans die from cancer for every 100 Whites
In summary: Latinx Americans make up 18.5% of the population and account for only 6~7% of cancer patients, but are diagnosed and die at a rate of 76% compared to their White counterparts.
It is important to remember that Latinx Americans are a highly diverse population with numerous national origins, so it follows that cancer rates vary by country of origin. For example, Latinx Americans of Puerto Rican and Cuban origin have higher rates of cancer than those of Mexican origin. Interestingly, Latinx Americans who were born outside of the United States have better survival rates than those born on US soil.
- From 2012-2016, Latinx men were 10% less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than White men.
- Latinx women were 30% less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than White women.
- Latinx men and women are twice as likely to have and die from liver cancer than Whites.
- Latinx women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer and 2.4 times more likely to die from it compared to White women.
- Latinx women are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 20% more likely to die from it than White women.
African Americans and Cancer
- Comprise 10.3% of new cancer diagnoses (Whites comprise 78.6%)
- Comprise 11% of Americans who die from cancer (Whites comprise 79.7%)
- 99 African Americans are diagnosed with cancer for every 100 Whites
- 114 African Americans die from cancer for every 100 Whites
In summary: African Americans make up 13.4% of the population, account for 10~11% of cancer patients, but match or exceed the rate of diagnosis and death when compared to their White counterparts.
African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any ethnic group for all cancers combined. Not simply in regards to cancer, but death rates for all major causes of death (heart disease, etc.) are higher for African Americans than Whites. This means that African Americans literally have a lower life-expectancy than any other ethnic group.
- From 2012-2016, African American men were almost twice as likely to have new cases of prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from it compared to White men.
- African American men were 2.5 times more likely to die from stomach cancer than Whites.
- African American women were almost 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than White women.
- African American women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer and twice as likely to die from it than White women.
Indigenous Peoples and Cancer
- Comprise 0.6% of new cancer diagnoses (Whites comprise 78.6%)
- Comprise 0.5% of Americans who die from cancer (Whites comprise 79.7%)
- 64 Indigenous Peoples are diagnosed with cancer for every 100 Whites
- 67 Indigenous Peoples die from cancer for every 100 Whites
In summary: Indigenous Peoples make up a mere 1.3% of the population, account for only 0.5~0.6% of cancer patients, but are diagnosed and die at a rate of 64% compared to their White counterparts.
Indigenous Peoples (American Indian/Alaska Native) men and women have lower cancer rates than the White population. However, disparities exist in certain types of cancer.
- From 2012-2016, Indigenous men were almost twice as likely to have liver and IBD cancer as White men.
- Indigenous men are 40 percent more likely to have stomach cancer and more than twice as likely to die from it than White men.
- Indigenous women are twice as likely to have and twice as likely to die from liver and IBD cancer than White women.
- Indigenous women are 20% more likely to have kidney/renal pelvis cancer than White women.
Asian/Pacific Islander Americans and Cancer
- Comprise 7.4% of new cancer diagnoses (Whites comprise 78.6%)
- Comprise 6% of Americans who die from cancer (Whites comprise 79.7%)
- 64 Asians and Pacific Islanders are diagnosed with cancer for every 100 Whites
- 62 Asians and Pacific Islanders die from cancer for every 100 Whites
In summary: Asians and Pacific Islanders make up only 6.1% of the population, account for only 6~7% of cancer patients, but are diagnosed and die at a rate of 64% compared to their White counterparts. (N.B. This is the same rate as Indigenous Peoples, who make up only 1.3% of the population and only 0.5% of cancer cases.)
Americans of Asian and Pacific Island descent generally have lower cancer rates than the White population, but there are numerous disparities.
- From 2012-2016, Asian/Pacific Islander men were twice as likely to have stomach cancer than White men.
- Both Asian/Pacific Islander men and women have almost twice the incidence of liver and IBD cancer compared to Whites.
- Asian/Pacific Islander men are twice as likely to die from stomach cancer and Asian/Pacific Islander women are nearly three times as likely to die from the same disease compared to their White counterparts.
- American Samoan women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with and to die from cervical cancer, as compared to Whites.
- American Samoan men are eight times more likely to develop liver cancer and Native Hawaiian men are 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with the same disease as compared to Whites.
- In Hawai’i, from 2013-2015, Native Hawaiians had the highest mortality rate (404.8) for all types of cancer, as compared to Whites (136.5) living in Hawai’i.
- In Guam, from 2008-2012, the incidence rate was higher for all cancer types in the Asian/Pacific Islander group than any other group.
- Cancer is the leading cause of death among all Asian and Pacific Islander populations in the U.S., however, much like the Latinx community, there is substantial variation among Asian/Pacific Islander populations which originate from over 23 countries.
What Does it Mean?
The data shows that within minority groups the rates at which people are diagnosed with and die from cancer is higher than the White majority. For example, if Whites make up 76.3% of the population and 0.16% die from cancer, one might assume that African Americans would die at a similar rate. But this isn’t true. For every 159 Whites that die from cancer, 182 African Americans die of the same. As we already learned, in Latinx American populations, both men and women are twice as likely to die from liver cancer than Whites. Indigenous men are 40 percent more likely to have stomach cancer. And American Samoan women are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer.
The reasons behind these disparities are complex and varied. Low rates of early detection among minority groups is one possibility, lifestyle and physiology is another, but lack of access to quality medical care throughout the individual’s lifetime is perhaps the most suspected culprit.
To learn more about cancer statistics in the United States, visit the CDC’s interactive map. It draws on extensive data and provides visualization tools to help us understand how and where cancer is changing on the American landscape. www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/index.htm.
Resources:
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/americas-financial-divide_b_7013330
https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/programs/edu-training/language-access/health-information/cancer/
