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. 2016 Oct;25(10):1371-1382.
doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-16-0167.

The Burden of Cancer in Asian Americans: A Report of National Mortality Trends by Asian Ethnicity

Caroline A Thompson  1 , Scarlett Lin Gomez  2 , Katherine G Hastings  3 , Kristopher Kapphahn  4 , Peter Yu  5 , Salma Shariff-Marco  2 , Ami S Bhatt  6 , Heather A Wakelee  7 , Manali I Patel  8 , Mark R Cullen  9 , Latha P Palaniappan  10
Affiliations

The Burden of Cancer in Asian Americans: A Report of National Mortality Trends by Asian Ethnicity

Caroline A Thompson et al. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2016 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Asian Americans (AA) are the fastest growing U.S. population, and when properly distinguished by their ethnic origins, exhibit substantial heterogeneity in socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and health outcomes. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, yet trends and current patterns in the mortality burden of cancer among AA ethnic groups have not been documented.

Methods: We report age-adjusted rates, standardized mortality ratios, and modeled trends in cancer-related mortality in the following AA ethnicities: Asian Indians, Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, Koreans, and Vietnamese, from 2003 to 2011, with non-Hispanic whites (NHW) as the reference population.

Results: For most cancer sites, AAs had lower cancer mortality than NHWs; however, mortality patterns were heterogeneous across AA ethnicities. Stomach and liver cancer mortality was very high, particularly among Chinese, Koreans, and Vietnamese, for whom these two cancer types combined accounted for 15% to 25% of cancer deaths, but less than 5% of cancer deaths in NHWs. In AA women, lung cancer was a leading cause of death, but (unlike males and NHW females) rates did not decline over the study period.

Conclusions: Ethnicity-specific analyses are critical to understanding the national burden of cancer among the heterogeneous AA population.

Impact: Our findings highlight the need for disaggregated reporting of cancer statistics in AAs and warrant consideration of tailored screening programs for liver and gastric cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(10); 1371-82. ©2016 AACR.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict(s) of interest: None declared.

Figures

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Figure 1
Proportionate cancer mortality by race/ethnicity and sex, 2003–2011
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Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Figure 2
Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Figure 2
Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Figure 2
Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Figure 2
Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Figure 2
Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Figure 2
Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Figure 2
Cancer mortality trends (men, 2003–2011)
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Figure 3
Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Figure 3
Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Figure 3
Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Figure 3
Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Figure 3
Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Figure 3
Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Figure 3
Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
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Figure 3
Cancer mortality trends (women, 2003–2011)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Hoeffel E, Rastogi E, Myoung KO, Shahid H. The Asian Population: 2010. US Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau; 2012.
    1. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States. April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011. 2011 [Internet] [cited May 6, 2014]. Available from: http://www.census.gov/popest/data/national/asrh/2011/index.html.
    1. Profile American Facts for Features. Washington, DC: United States Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce; 2014. Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2014.
    1. Research UCfHP, editor. California Health Interview Survey. CHIS 2007 Adult Public Use File [computer file] Los Angeles, CA: 2009.
    1. Tseng W, McDonnell DD, Lee C, Wong S. Ethnic Health Assessment for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in California. Prepared for the California Program on Access to Care (CPAC) UC Berkeley School of Public Health. 2010 Aug; 2010. Report No.

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