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Review
. 2012 Feb;5(2):150-63.
doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-11-0447.

A review of cancer in U.S. Hispanic populations

Affiliations
Review

A review of cancer in U.S. Hispanic populations

Robert W Haile et al. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2012 Feb.

Abstract

There are compelling reasons to conduct studies of cancer in Hispanics, the fastest growing major demographic group in the United States (from 15% to 30% of the U.S. population by 2050). The genetically admixed Hispanic population coupled with secular trends in environmental exposures and lifestyle/behavioral practices that are associated with immigration and acculturation offer opportunities for elucidating the effects of genetics, environment, and lifestyle on cancer risk and identifying novel risk factors. For example, traditional breast cancer risk factors explain less of the breast cancer risk in Hispanics than in non-Hispanic whites (NHW), and there is a substantially greater proportion of never-smokers with lung cancer in Hispanics than in NHW. Hispanics have higher incidence rates for cancers of the cervix, stomach, liver, and gall bladder than NHW. With respect to these cancers, there are intriguing patterns that warrant study (e.g., depending on country of origin, the five-fold difference in gastric cancer rates for Hispanic men but not Hispanic women). Also, despite a substantially higher incidence rate and increasing secular trend for liver cancer in Hispanics, there have been no studies of Hispanics reported to date. We review the literature and discuss study design options and features that should be considered in future studies.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interests

No potential conflicts of interests were disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A and B, age-adjusted SEER incidence rates by ethnicity and site. IR, incidence rate. Cancer sites include invasive cases only. Incidence source: SEER 13 area (San Francisco, Connecticut, Detroit, Hawaii, Iowa, New Mexico, Seattle, Utah, Atlanta, San Jose-Monterey, Los Angeles, Alaska Native Registry, and Rural Georgia). Rates are per 100,00 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Std Population (19 age groups-Census P25-1130). Regression lines are calculated using the Joinpoint Regression Program Version 3.4.3, April 2010, National Cancer Institute. Hispanics are not mutually exclusive from whites, blacks, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. Incidence data for Hispanics and Non-Hispanics are based on NHIA and exclude cases from the Alaska Native Registry.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mortality rates. Average age-adjusted SEER mortality rates (2005–2007) by ethnicity and site. Cancer sites include invasive cases only unless otherwise noted. Incidence source: SEER 13 area (San Francisco, Connecticut, Detroit, Hawaii, Iowa, New Mexico, Seattle, Utah, Atlanta, San Jose-Monterey, Los Angeles, Alaska Native Registry, and Rural Georgia). Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Std Population (19 age groups-Census P25-1130). Hispanics and NHWs are mutually exclusive. Incidence data for Hispanics and Non-Hispanics are based on NHIA and exclude cases from the Alaska Native Registry.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Prevalence of cancer screening among U.S. adults by ethnic group: 2008. Sigmoidoscopy was observed in past 10 years, among men aged 50 years and older. Mammogram: in past year, among women aged 40 years and older. Pap test: Papanicolaou test in past 3 years, among women aged 18 years and older. A digital rectal examination within the past year for men who have not been told they have had prostate cancer. NHW, NH Black, and Hispanic are mutually exclusive. FOB, fecal occult blood test (in past year, among men aged 50 years and older); PSA, prostate-specific antigen test (in past year among men aged 50 years and older). Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, 2006 data, reported in ref. .

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