The gaps in cancer mortality rates for U.S. Hispanics
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Death rates from certain cancers rose in Hispanic men and women over the two decades ending in 2020 while the rest of the population saw mortality decline, according to a new JAMA Oncology study.
Why it matters: The study highlights how lack of access to health care has contributed to cancer being the leading cause of death among Hispanics, even as cancer incidence remains low for this population.
Details: The study — conducted by researchers at the Massachusetts General Cancer Center — found overall cancer mortality among Hispanic people fell 1.3% per year from 1999 to 2020.
- However, death rates for liver cancer among Hispanic men "significantly increased" by 1% per year.
- Hispanic women saw a yearly rise in deaths from liver cancer (1%), pancreatic cancer (0.2%) and uterine cancer (1.6%).
- Researchers also found that Hispanic men between the ages of 25 and 34 saw a 0.7% yearly increase of death rates, with significant rises for colorectal cancer (2.4%) and testicular cancer (3.2%) from 2003 to 2020.
What's happening: Policies that discourage Latinos from enrolling in public health insurance and disparate treatment in health care settings has taken a toll on their physical and mental health, per the CDC.
- More than half of Hispanic Americans told Pew Research Center that occupations that put them at higher risk for health problems is another significant driver of disparities.
- About half said poor access to quality medical care was another, and about 44% said language or cultural differences made navigating the health care system a challenge.
- They’re also likelier to be uninsured when compared to other racial and ethnic groups, which influences the level of cancer screenings and other preventative care patients receive.
Yes, but: Hispanic patients are more likely to be diagnosed at more advanced stages of cancer regardless of socioeconomic status, which leads to worse survival rates, researchers wrote.
- The study also pointed to an underrepresentation in cancer clinical trials, where Hispanic Americans account for about 10% of participants while accounting for nearly 20% of the U.S. population.
- This hinders the ability for researchers to tailor treatment to a group facing outsized death rates.
What they're saying: "Despite the great strides in cancer screening, education and treatment advances, there are populations in the U.S. that haven't benefited from these improvements equally," said senior study author Sophia Kamran.
- “Clearly, the Hispanic population can't just be lumped together with all other U.S. cancer patients,” Kamran said. “We have to think a little bit differently and target specific cancer research, education, and treatments toward this population, so we are caring for these patients as best we can.”
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