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Cancer and African Americans

African Americans have the highest mortality rate of any racial and ethnic group for all cancers combined and for most major cancers. Death rates for all major causes of death are higher for African Americans than for whites, contributing in part to a lower life expectancy for both African American men and African American women.

  • In 2012, African American men were 1.3 times and 1.7 times, respectively, more likely to have new cases of lung and prostate cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
  • African American men were 1.9 times as likely to have new cases of stomach cancer as non-Hispanic white men and 2.5 times more likely to die from stomach cancer.
  • African Americans men had lower 5-year cancer survival rates for all cancer sites as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
  • African American men are 2.3 times as likely to die from prostate cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
  • In 2012, African American women just as likely to have been diagnosed with breast cancer, however, they were almost 40% more likely to die from breast cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.
  • African American women are 2.1 times as likely to have been diagnosed with stomach cancer, and they are 2.4 times as likely to die from stomach cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.

 

New Cases

New Cancer Cases per 100,000 – Men (2012)
Cancer
African
American
Men
Non-Hispanic
White Men
African
American/Non-
HispanicWhite
Ratio
All Sites
540.8
489.9
1.1
Colon and Rectum
55.5
42.2
1.3
Lung
80.6
61.4
1.3
Pancreas
15.8
14.8
1.1
Prostate
178.1
106.7
1.7
Stomach
14.6
7.8
1.9

 


New Cancer Cases per 100,000 - Women (2012)

Cancer
African
American
Women
Non-Hispanic
White Women
African
American/Non-
Hispanic White
Ratio
All Sites
403.2
433.2
0.9
Breast
130.0
136.5
1.0
Cervical
7.6
5.9
1.3
Colon and Rectum
41.0
33.5
1.2
Pancreas
15.0
11.0
1.4
Stomach
8.0
3.9
2.1

Source: CDC, 2016 Health United States, 2015. Table 26.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus15.pdf [PDF | 13.02MB]

 

Top Cancer Sites for African Americans (2009-2013)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Men

Cancer
African
American
Men
Non-Hispanic
White Men
African
American/Non-
Hispanic White
Ratio
All Sites
571.8
529.2
1.1
Colon & Rectum
59.2
46.7
1.3
Esophagus
7.2
8.3
0.9
Kidney & Renal Pelvis
25.0
22.2
1.1
Liver & IBD
16.4
10.1
1.6
Lung & Bronchus
87.3
72.7
1.2
Myeloma
15.7
7.7
2.0
Oral Cavity & Pharynx
14.4
18.8
0.8
Pancreas
17.2
14.4
1.2
Prostate
203.5
125.1
1.6
Stomach
14.0
8.3
1.7

 

Top Cancer Sites for African Americans (2009-2013)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Women

Cancer
African
American
Women
Non-Hispanic
White Women
African
American/Non-
Hispanic White
Ratio
All Sites
400.5
440.8
0.9
Breast
125.2
134.3
0.9
Cervical
8.9
7.0
1.3
Colon & Rectum
44.8
36.2
1.2
Kidney
12.8
10.9
1.2
Liver & IBD
4.9
3.3
1.5
Lung & Bronchus
50.0
56.2
0.9
Myeloma
11.5
4.4
2.6
Pancreas
14.2
10.9
1.3
Stomach
8.1
3.7
2.3

Source: NCI 2016. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2013. Tables 2.15 through 24.15
http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2013/sections.html

 

5 Year Survival Rate

Percent of Patients, Men (2006-2012)

Cancer
African American
Men
White Men
African
American/
White Ratio
All Sites
63.8
67.4
0.9
Colon
55.7
65.6
0.8
Lung
12.0
15.1
0.8
Pancreas
6.6
7.6
0.9
Prostate
96.9
99.2
1.0
Stomach
25.6
27.4
0.9

 


Percent of Patients – Women (2006-2012)

Cancer
African American
Women
White Women
African
American/White Ratio
All Sites
57.9
67.6
0.9
Breast
80.3
90.8
0.9
Cervical
57.0
68.9
0.8
Colon
57.4
65.3
0.9
Pancreas
8.0
7.7
1.0

Source: NCI 2016. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2013. Tables 2.15 through 24.15
http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2013/sections.html

 

Death Rate

Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 – Men (2009-2013)

Cancer
African American
Men
Non-Hispanic White Men
African American/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites
254.2
207.2
1.2
Colon & Rectum
26.1
17.7
1.5
Lung
70.6
60.2
1.2
Pancreas
15.0
12.7
1.2
Prostate
44.2
19.2
2.3
Stomach
8.8
3.5
2.5

 

Cancer Death Rates per 100,000 – Women (2009-2013)

Cancer
African American
Women
Non-Hispanic White Women
African American/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites
163.8
147.3
1.1
Breast
29.6
21.5
1.4
Cervical
3.9
2.0
2.0
Colon and Rectum
17.1
12.5
1.4
Pancreas
12.2
9.5
1.3
Stomach
4.2
1.8
2.3

Source: NCI 2016. Seer Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2013. Tables 1.21
http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2013/sections.html

 

Screening

Breast Cancer

Percent of women age 40 and over who had a mammogram within the past 2 years, 2013 (crude)

Non-Hispanic Black Women
Non-Hispanic White Women
Non-Hispanic Black/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
67.2
67.6
1.0

Source: CDC 2016. Health United States, 2015. Table 70.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus15.pdf [PDF | 15.02MB]

 

Cervical Cancer

Percent of women age 18 and over who had a Pap smear within the past 3 years, 2013 (crude)

Non-Hispanic Black Women
Non-Hispanic White Women
Non-Hispanic Black/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
75.1
68.4
1.1

Source: CDC 2016. Health United States, 2015. Table 71.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus15.pdf [PDF | 15.02MB]

 

Colon Cancer

Adults aged 50-75 who had any colorectal test or procedure, 2013

Non-Hispanic Black
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
58.2
60.4
1.0

Source: CDC 2016. Health United States, 2015. Table 72.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus15.pdf [PDF | 15.02MB]
Last Modified: 10/24/2016 10:26:00 AM

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