[1]CANCER and MINORITIES
African Americans
• die from all cancers combined at a rate 40% higher than for others.
• Cancer is the second largest killer, behind heart disease.
• men: prostate (41.8%) is the most prevalent cancer, followed by lung, then colon and rectum.
• women: breast cancer is the #2 most common cause of death, with a 37% higher death rate than White women.
Hispanics
• Cancer is the second largest killer, behind heart disease.
• In 2006, 39,940 new cases of cancer and 12,320 deaths were expected in Hispanic men in the U.S. and 42,140 new cases and 11,000 deaths were expected in Hispanic women.
• Overall, slightly less than 50% of Hispanic men and 33% of Hispanic women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, accounting for 20% of all Hispanics in the U.S.
• Hispanics have he highest incidence and mortality rates of gallbladder cancer worldwide.
• The rates of stomach cancer incidence are 70% higher in Hispanics than non-Hispanic Whites.
Hispanics with stomach cancer are 26% more likely to die from it within 5 years of diagnosis than Whites.
source: American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society Addresses Ethnic Disparities in Cancer
Survivors Offer Support
by Eduardo A. de Oliveira
When she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of 2002, Maria Quiroz was uninsured.
The Colombian mother of four knew that the earlier any type of cancer is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat and to recover from it.
She gave a heartfelt testimony at a conference last Friday, March 7, 2008, for the American Cancer Society (ACS), organized by the Center for Media and Society at University of Massachusetts-Boston (a NEWz sponsor) and Colette Phillips Communications.
"I recommend all women, Hispanic or not, to request an annual mammogram. Don't postpone it," said Quiroz, now a cancer survivor and an ACS volunteer.
An audience of about 50 professionals, including those from the medical field and 20 ethnic media members representing seven countries, gathered at UMass-Boston to hear the American Cancer Society address cancer disparities in under-served communities.
Representatives for the American Cancer Society revealed a study by ACS epidemiologists that found that breast cancer death rates are decreasing for White women in every U.S. state, but are either flat or rising for African Americans in half of the country.
Lack of health insurance is a big chunk of the challenge faced by minorities in combatting cancer.
Like Quiroz's case, 49% of Hispanic adults (between 18 and 64 years old) were uninsured in 2006.
As many as 43% of Hispanics and 21% of African Americans, the study points out, admit they don't see a doctor regularly, compared with 15% of Whites and 16% of Asian Americans.
"Not surprisingly, patients who are uninsured at the time of their diagnosis are 1.6 times more likely to die in five years than those with private insurance," said Stephanie Harriston-Diggs of the American Cancer Society.
"When people get that diagnosis 'you have cancer,' who are [you] going to call?" she added.
Dominican former model Soila Rosario got the bad news over the phone.
"I asked, 'What did you say?' And the doctor replied, 'let me try in Spanish: tu tener cancer,'" she recalled.
At that moment, Rosario had two shots to conducting a cancer-free life: start chemotherapy and remove 25% of one of her breasts, or accept mastectomy, which is the complete removal of the breast, but with no need for chemo.
"All I could think of was Camila, who was 6 months at the time," she said.
While her mother talked about not regretting the mastectomy, Camila, now 5, played around seemingly unaware of Rosario's emotional memories.
Rosario explains why, even for someone whose English is not polished yet, it is important to call the American Cancer Society.
In Rosario's life-altering case, the private non-profit organization assigned a 65-year-old woman to help Rosario cope with the new situation.
"Now I tell other Hispanic women, if you don't know the language, find friends who do. After the call (to the American Cancer Society), it was an American who understood what I was going through," said Rosario, who had no relatives to comfort her.
ACS vice president of communications Joyce Gallagher Sullivan encourages anybody who diagnosed with cancer to call 1-800-227-2345, a hotline service for cancer patients, available in 20 languages.
"A call specialist will have a wide range of resources to help you find the best treatment, including free care," she said to the mixed audience of media and medical professionals.
During the luncheon, the cancer society performed two demonstrational calls.
Maria Quiroz inquired in Spanish how Latina women can get more information about side effects of cancer.
Mark W. Kennedy, a Dana-Farber Cancer Institute outreach coordinator, wanted to know, in English, if a prostate cancer patient can have a normal sex life.
In both inquiries, the call specialists' responses were knowledgeable and reassuring.
Sullivan highlighted the important role that patient's relatives have during cancer treatment.
"Their emotional support is crucial. Drugs can work, but their help is like chemo coming straight from the heart," said Sullivan, adding that there's treatment available for caregivers, too.
As for Soila Rosario, all she cares about is that she will be able to see her daughter grow up.
The American Cancer Society's hotline, 1-800-227-2345, is available 24 hours day, seven hours a week. The ACS is available online, too, at cancer.org [2].
source: EthnicNewz.org
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E-mail EthnicNewz.org health reporter Eduardo de Oliveira at: Eduardo.AO at hotmail dot com.
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