The third issue of our Hispanic Equity Brief series, Cancer among U.S. Hispanics, recognizes National Cancer Prevention Month. The issue explores another significant health condition affecting Hispanic communities. This issue provides an overview of the latest trends in cancer diagnoses, treatment, survival rates, and mortality. Apparent racial/ethnic and geographic differences in outcomes may reflect variations in risk factors, service availability, and the health infrastructure across the U.S. In any case, there is a need to improve cancer surveillance, health literacy, early detection, and access to efficacious treatment among Hispanics in vulnerable communities and localities.
[Click here for the brief in English and here for Spanish]
In 2020, malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumors) were the third cause of death among Hispanics after COVID-19 and heart diseases (CDC). Hispanics accounted for 140,609 (8.8%) of new cancer diagnoses and 43,942 (7.3%) of cancer-related deaths (CDC). Prostate, female breast, and colorectal cancer continue to be the three most common cancer diagnoses among Hispanics (CDC).
Hispanics are diagnosed at later stages and have lower 5-year survival rates than the general population (CDC). In the last two decades, mortality due to these three cancers has decreased (CDC). However, the reduction has been slower among Hispanics than the general population.
Differences in the stage of cancer when diagnosed and survival rates may be linked to socioeconomic and structural differences in early detection and access to reliable treatment. As a first step, awareness and education campaigns are needed to increase cancer health literacy in the hopes of improving health outcomes along the path cancer patients and their families have to navigate.