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Cancer and Hispanic Americans

Hispanic American men and women generally have lower cancer rates than the non-Hispanic white population. However, disparities still exist in certain types of cancer.

  • From 2014-2018, Hispanic men were 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than non-Hispanic white men.
  • Hispanic women are 30 percent less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than non-Hispanic white women.
  • Both Hispanic men and women are almost twice as likely to have, and to die from, liver cancer than non-Hispanic whites.
  • Hispanic men and women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer, and twice as likely to die from stomach cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men and women.
  • Hispanic women are 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 30 percent more likely to die from cervical cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.

Diagnosis

Age-adjusted percentages of cancer among adults aged 18 and over, 2019
Cancer Hispanic Non-Hispanic White Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites 4.1 12.4 0.3
Breast (women) 1.0 2.0 0.5
Cervical (women) 0.8 1.4 0.6
Prostate (men)  0.7 2.8 0.3

Source: NCHS 2021. National Health Interview Survey. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults – 2019. [Accessed 7/22/2021]
https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NHISDataQueryTool/SHS_adult/index.html

 

Top Cancer Sites for Hispanics (2014-2018)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Men
Cancer Hispanic Men Non-Hispanic White Men Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites 375.3 520.4 0.7
Colon & Rectum 39.5 42.2 0.9
Esophagus 4.3 8.5 0.5
Kidney 21.6 24.2 0.9
Liver & IBD 20.4 11.3 1.8
Lung 34.4 60.7 0.6
Oral Cavity & Pharynx 10.3 20.2 0.5
Pancreas 12.8 16.3 0.8
Prostate 90.9 118.9 0.8
Stomach 13.1 7.7 1.7

*IBD = Intrahepatic Bile Duct

Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.24 and SEER*Explorer [ Accessed 7/22/2021].
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/; https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/

 

Top Cancer Sites for Hispanics (2014-2018)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Women
Cancer Hispanic Women Non-Hispanic White Women Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites 348.4 460.2 0.8
Breast 100.3 137.9 0.7
Cervical 9.3 6.7 1.4
Colon & Rectum 29.3 32.7 0.9
Kidney 12.1 11.7 1.0
Liver & IBD 8.2 4.0 2.1
Lung 24.6 53.9 0.5
Pancreas 11.1 11.9 0.9
Stomach 8.4 3.8 2.2
Uterus 25.3 28.7 0.9

Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.25 and SEER*Explorer [ Accessed 7/22/2021].
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/; https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/

 

5 Year Survival Rate

Not available at this time.

 

Death Rate

Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 – Men (2014-2018)
Cancer Hispanic Men Non-Hispanic White Men Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites 134.0 190.2 0.7
Colon & Rectum 14.0 16.1 0.9
Liver & IBD 13.3 8.4 1.6
Lung 23.0 49.4 0.5
Pancreas 9.5 13.0 0.7
Prostate 15.6 17.9 0.9
Stomach 6.3 3.1 2.0

Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.20
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/sections.html

 

Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 – Women (2014-2018)
Cancer Hispanic Women Non-Hispanic White Women Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites 94.6 137.8 0.7
Breast 13.8 20.1 0.7
Cervical 2.6 2.0 1.3
Colon & Rectum 8.6 11.5 0.7
Liver & IBD 6.0 3.6 1.7
Pancreas 7.8 9.6 0.8
Stomach 3.9 1.6 2.4
Uterus 4.1 4.5 0.9

Source: NCI 2021. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2018. Table 1.20
https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2018/sections.html

 

Screening

Breast Cancer

Percentage of women age 40 and over who had a mammogram within the past 2 years, 2018 (crude)
Hispanic Women Non-Hispanic White Women Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
62.7 68.0 0.9

Source: CDC 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 33.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-508.pdf [PDF 3.02MB]

 

Cervical Cancer

Percentage of women age 18 and over who had a Pap smear within the past 3 years, 2018 (crude)
Hispanic Women Non-Hispanic White Women Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
71.1 63.7 1.0

Source: CDC 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 34.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-508.pdf [PDF 3.02MB]

 

Colon Cancer

Adults aged 50-75 who had any colorectal test or procedure, 2018
Hispanic Non-Hispanic White Women Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
49.3 64.0 0.8

Source: CDC 2021. Health United States, 2019. Table 35.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-508.pdf [PDF 3.02MB]

 
Last Modified: 8/26/2021 12:38:00 PM

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