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Jan 31, 2024 Story by: Editor
Cancer remains a leading cause of death in the United States, and for Black and African Americans, the burden is disproportionately heavy. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health, Black/African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any racial and ethnic group for all cancers combined, as well as for most major cancers. This alarming disparity contributes to a lower life expectancy for both Black/African American men and women.
The HHS Office of Minority Health highlights several concerning statistics:
- From 2015-2019, African American men were 1.2 times and 1.7 times more likely to have new cases of colon and prostate cancer, respectively, compared to non-Hispanic white men.
- Black/African American men face a 1.8 times higher likelihood of stomach cancer diagnosis and a staggering 2.5 times higher likelihood of succumbing to stomach cancer than their non-Hispanic white counterparts.
- Black/African American men exhibit lower 5-year cancer survival rates for most cancer sites compared to non-Hispanic white men.
- Black/African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer compared to non-Hispanic white men.
The disparities are equally stark for Black/African American women:
- Black/African American women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer and are 2.3 times more likely to die from it compared to non-Hispanic white women.
- While Black/African American women are similarly diagnosed with breast cancer as their non-Hispanic white counterparts, they face a nearly 40% higher mortality rate from breast cancer.
Breast cancer statistics, in particular, raise concerns for Tesia McKenzie, M.D., a breast surgical oncologist. Dr. McKenzie emphasizes the urgency of understanding why Black women experience higher mortality rates and more aggressive disease courses. She advocates for personalized approaches to cancer screenings based on genetics and individual risk assessments, urging more women of color to participate in research trials.
Similarly, disparities persist in lung cancer screenings. Black individuals with lung cancer face lower rates of early diagnosis, treatment, and survival compared to white individuals, according to the American Lung Association. Dr. Lisa Carter-Bawa, a researcher and nurse, highlights the strikingly low rates of lung cancer screening among African Americans and stresses the importance of destigmatizing lung cancer screenings to increase early detection and survival rates.
Breast and lung cancer are just two examples of the many areas where Black Americans’ cancer prevention and care lag behind, underscoring the pressing need for targeted interventions and equitable access to healthcare resources.
