Cancer Data/Statistics

Cancer is the second leading cause of death for most racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. For Asians and Pacific Islanders, it is the number one killer. In 2005, 63,165 African Americans, 26,156 Hispanics, 11,550 Asians and Pacific Islanders and 2,659 American Indians died of the disease.

Cancer hits African Americans particularly hard: the group is 33% more likely to die from all types of cancer than Whites, adjusting for age. African American men are over twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than Whites. And while breast cancer is diagnosed 10% less frequently in African American women than White women, African American women are 34% more likely to die from the disease.

In other minority communities, cancer is also taking a disproportionate toll. Among Hispanics, women are 2.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than non-Hispanic White women. Asian and Pacific Islander women are 2.7 times as likely to fall ill from stomach cancer as non-Hispanic White women. And Asian American men suffer from stomach cancer twice as often as non-Hispanic White men.

Quick Facts

• Although breast cancer is diagnosed 10% less frequently in African American women than White women, African American women are 34% more likely to die from the disease.
• American Indian Women are 1.7 times as likely to die from cervical cancer as compared to white women.
• Asian/Pacific Islander men and women have higher incidence and mortality rates for stomach and liver cancer.
• In 2004, Hispanic women are twice as likely as non-Hispanic white women to be diagnosed with cervical cancer.

  For more statistics on African Americans and cancer, please click here

  For more statistics on American Indians/Alaska Natives and cancer, please click here

  For more statistics on Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and cancer, please click here

  For more statistics on Hispanic Americans and cancer, please click here