Cancer and Asian Americans

Asian Americans generally have lower cancer rates than the non-Hispanic white population. However, disparities still exist in certain types of cancer.

  • From 2014-2018, Asian/Pacific Islander men were 50 percent less likely to have prostate cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white men, but they were 70 percent more likely to have stomach cancer.
  • Although Asian/Pacific Islander women are 20 percent less likely to have breast cancer than non-Hispanic white women, they are twice as likely to have stomach cancer.
  • Both Asian/Pacific Islander men and women have almost twice the incidence of liver & IBD* cancer, as compared to the non-Hispanic white population.
  • Asian/Pacific Islander men are twice as likely to die from stomach cancer as compared to non-Hispanic white men, and Asian/Pacific Islander women are 2.5 times as likely to die from the same disease, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.

Diagnosis

Age-adjusted percentages of cancer among adults aged 18 and over, 2019
CancerAsianNon-Hispanic WhiteAsian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites2.512.40.2
Breast (women)1.12.00.6
Cervical (women)0.31.40.2
Prostate (men) 0.82.80.3

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 American Asians (2014-2018)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Men
CancerAsian/Pacific Islander MenNon-Hispanic White MenAsian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites309.1520.40.6
Colon & Rectum37.142.20.9
Liver & IBD19.411.31.7
Lung45.060.70.7
Pancreas10.916.30.7
Prostate57.7118.90.5
Stomach13.47.71.7

*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 Asians (2014-2018)

Cancer Incidence Rates per 100,000 – Women
CancerAsian/Pacific Islander WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenAsian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites311.5460.20.7
Breast105.1137.90.8
Cervical6.46.71.0
Colon & Rectum26.532.70.8
Liver & IBD7.14.01.8
Lung 28.753.90.5
Pancreas9.311.90.8
Stomach7.63.82.0
Uterus22.328.70.8

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)
CancerAsian/Pacific Islander MenNon-Hispanic White MenAsian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites114.6190.20.6
Colon & Rectum11.216.10.7
Liver & IBD13.18.41.6
Lung28.049.40.6
Pancreas8.113.00.6
Prostate8.817.90.5
Stomach6.33.12.0

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)
CancerAsian/Pacific Islander WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenAsian/Pacific Islander / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites84.6137.80.6
Breast11.720.10.6
Cervical1.72.00.9
Colon & Rectum7.911.50.7
Liver & IBD5.43.61.5
Pancreas7.19.60.7
Stomach4.01.62.5
Uterus3.24.50.7

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)
Asian WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenAsian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
57.868.00.9

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)
Asian WomenNon-Hispanic White WomenAsian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
62.863.71.0

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
AsianNon-Hispanic White WomenAsian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
48.364.00.8

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