Ethnic/racial influences on the physiologic health of cancer survivors

Abstract

Background: Improvements in early detection, treatment, and general supportive care allow more people to survive cancer. Information regarding the long-term health impact of cancer and cancer treatments on these survivors of adult-onset malignancies is gradually accumulating. Although information is limited overall, it is apparent that the cancer experience differs across ethnically/racially diverse populations.

Methods: In the current report, the authors characterized and compared health profiles among ethnic/racial groups within a large cohort (n > 6000) of long-term survivors of cancer. In addition, the authors focused on survivors of cervical carcinoma, because they constitute a substantial and relatively homogeneous portion of the overall cohort.

Results: The authors observed significant differences among African American, Hispanic American, and Caucasian American cancer survivors in terms of age at diagnosis, time since diagnosis, family dynamics, education, type of malignancy, and perceived influences of cancer on specific physiologic health problems. Among survivors of cervical carcinoma, there were significant ethnic/racial differences in terms of disease histology as well as the impact of the disease on overall health.

Conclusions: The current study reveals significant ethnic/racial differences among cancer survivors and highlights the need for further investigation of the relation between cancer survivorship and ethnicity/race.