African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any racial and ethnic group for all cancers combined and for most major cancers. Death rates for all major causes of death are higher for African Americans than for whites, contributing to a lower life expectancy for both African American men and African American women.
- In 2005, African American men were 1.3 times as likely to have new cases of lung and prostate cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
- African American men were twice as likely to have new cases of stomach cancer as non-Hispanic white men.
- African Americans men had lower 5-year cancer survival rates for lung and pancreatic cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
- In 2005, African American men were 2.4 times as likely to die from prostate cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
- In 2005, African American women were 10% less likely to have been diagnosed with breast cancer, however, they were 34% more likely to die from breast cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.
- African American women are twice as likely to have been diagnosed with stomach cancer, and they are 2.4 times as likely to die from stomach cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.
At a glance – New Cases:
Cancer |
All Men |
African |
Non-Hispanic |
African |
---|---|---|---|---|
All Sites |
510.1 |
587.6 |
538.0 |
1.1 |
Stomach |
11.0 |
16.6 |
8.5 |
2.0 |
Lung |
68.7 |
93.6 |
72.2 |
1.3 |
Prostate |
147.1 |
220.3 |
145.3 |
1.5 |
Pancreas |
13.0 |
16.8 |
13.0 |
1.3 |
Colon and Rectum |
52.8 |
62.7 |
53.7 |
1.2 |
Cancer |
All Women |
African |
Non-Hispanic |
African |
---|---|---|---|---|
All Sites |
396.7 |
394.9 |
430.1 |
0.9 |
Stomach |
5.5 |
7.7 |
3.6 |
2.1 |
Cervical |
7.7 |
8.7 |
6.2 |
1.4 |
Pancreas |
10.3 |
15.3 |
10.1 |
1.5 |
Colon and Rectum |
40.3 |
51.4 |
40.6 |
1.3 |
Breast |
121.5 |
113.9 |
133.6 |
0.9 |
Source: CDC, 2009. Health United States, 2008. Table 52.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf [PDF | 12.2MB]
At a glance – Top Cancer Sites for African Americans (2001-2005):
Cancer |
All Men |
African |
Non-Hispanic |
African |
---|---|---|---|---|
All Sites |
549.3 |
651.5 |
568.3 |
1.1 |
Prostate |
163.0 |
248.5 |
161.5 |
1.5 |
Lung & Bronchus |
79.4 |
107.6 |
79.5 |
1.4 |
Colon & Rectum |
59.2 |
71.2 |
59.5 |
1.2 |
Oral Cavity & Pharynx |
15.5 |
17.2 |
16.6 |
1.0 |
Stomach |
11.3 |
17.4 |
9.3 |
1.9 |
Kidney & Renal Pelvis |
18.3 |
21.3 |
18.8 |
1.1 |
Pancreas |
13.0 |
16.2 |
13.3 |
1.2 |
Larynx |
6.4 |
10.9 |
6.2 |
1.8 |
Esophagus |
7.8 |
9.9 |
8.3 |
1.2 |
Liver & IBD |
9.9 |
13.2 |
7.3 |
1.8 |
At a glance – Top Cancer Sites for African Americans (2001-2005):
Cancer |
All Women |
African |
Non-Hispanic |
African |
---|---|---|---|---|
All Sites |
411.0 |
398.9 |
439.7 |
0.9 |
Breast |
126.1 |
117.5 |
138.2 |
1.0 |
Colon & Rectum |
43.8 |
54.5 |
43.8 |
1.2 |
Lung & Bronchus |
52.6 |
54.6 |
57.3 |
1.0 |
Pancreas |
10.3 |
14.3 |
10.1 |
1.4 |
Cervix |
8.4 |
10.8 |
7.0 |
1.5 |
Stomach |
5.5 |
8.9 |
4.0 |
2.2 |
Kidney |
9.2 |
10.1 |
9.3 |
1.1 |
Source: NCI 2008. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2005. Tables I-20
4 - I-28, and II-10 to XIVII-12.
http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2005/results_merged/topic_race_ethnicity.pdf [PDF | 1.2MB]
At a glance – 5 Year Survival Rate:
Cancer |
African American |
White Men |
African |
---|---|---|---|
All Sites |
59.8 |
67.2 |
0.9 |
Stomach |
22.6 |
21.2 |
1.1 |
Lung |
11.0 |
13.7 |
0.8 |
Prostate |
95.9 |
99.4 |
1.0 |
Pancreas |
3.2 |
5.4 |
0.6 |
Colon |
55.5 |
66.3 |
0.8 |
Cancer |
African American |
White Women |
African |
---|---|---|---|
All Sites |
54.9 |
67.7 |
0.8 |
Cervical |
65.3 |
73.7 |
0.9 |
Pancreas |
6.0 |
4.5 |
1.3 |
Colon |
54.6 |
65.7 |
0.8 |
Breast |
77.8 |
90.5 |
0.9 |
Source: CDC, 2009. Health United States, 2008. Table 53
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf [PDF | 12.2MB]
At a glance – Death Rate:
Cancer |
African American |
Non-Hispanic White Men |
African American/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
All Sites |
313.0 |
235.6 |
1.3 |
Stomach |
11.5 |
4.7 |
2.4 |
Lung |
93.1 |
74.2 |
1.3 |
Prostate |
59.4 |
24.6 |
2.4 |
Pancreas |
15.4 |
12.3 |
1.3 |
Colon & Rectum |
31.8 |
22.5 |
1.4 |
Cancer |
African American |
Non-Hispanic White Women |
African American/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
---|---|---|---|
All Sites |
186.7 |
163.0 |
1.1 |
Stomach |
5.5 |
2.3 |
2.4 |
Cervical |
4.7 |
2.2 |
2.1 |
Pancreas |
12.4 |
9.1 |
1.4 |
Colon and Rectum |
22.4 |
15.6 |
1.4 |
Breast |
33.5 |
25.0 |
1.3 |
Source: NCI 2008. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2005. Table I-20.
http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2005/results_merged/topic_race_ethnicity.pdf [PDF | 1.2MB]
At a Glance – Screening:
Breast Cancer
Non-Hispanic Black Women |
Non-Hispanic White Women |
Non-Hispanic Black/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
---|---|---|
64.7 |
68.2 |
0.9 |
Source: 2007 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 1A_b.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr07/index.html
Cervical Cancer
Non-Hispanic Black Women |
Non-Hispanic White Women |
Non-Hispanic Black/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
---|---|---|
80.2 |
79.1 |
1.0 |
Source: 2007 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 3b.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhdr07/index.html
Colon Cancer
Non-Hispanic Black |
Non-Hispanic White |
Non-Hispanic Black/Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
---|---|---|
48.5 |
58.5 |
0.8 |
Source: 2008 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 1_3_1.2b.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08/index.html
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