The facts below tell a disturbing story about high cancer rates and deaths for some ethnic and racial minority groups in the US. And ACS is working urgently to find and correct the reasons for this heavy cancer burden among people of color.

Raising awareness of the problem in minority communities is one immediate step that can save lives—especially if more people get the screening exams they may have skipped otherwise. These tests find cancer early, in its most treatable stages.

Cancer facts that outline the problem:

• African Americans with cancer have shorter survival than white Americans at all stages of diagnosis.
• Although African-American women are less likely than white women to develop breast cancer, they are more likely to die from the disease if they develop it.
• African-American men have almost twice the rate of prostate cancer than white men and are more than twice as likely to die of the disease.
• Cervical cancer incidence rates in Vietnamese women are five times higher than the rates among white American women.
• Hispanic women had the highest invasive cervical cancer incidence rates of any group other than Vietnamese, and twice the incidence rates of non-Hispanic white women.
• Cancer has been the number one killer of Asian-American women since 1980.
• American Indians and Alaska Natives have the lowest five-year survival rate from "all cancers combined" compared to other populations. – 1999

Low incomes, no health insurance, and outright poverty are more widespread in some minority communities than in the general population. So more minority people may put off the expense of seeing a doctor until they are very sick and past being easily treated.

A lack of education, rural or inner city residence, unemployment, and trouble understanding English may also contribute to higher cancer rates for some communities.

Work is underway to improve these trends. Passed in October 2000, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act allows states the option to provide medical assistance through Medicaid to low income women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer or precancerous conditions. And in November 2000, the US President signed the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act to enhance the federal government’s commitment to improving the health of all US citizens.

Cancer researchers such as Lovell Jones, Ph.D. are looking for answers to high minority cancer rates with grant money from ACS. Lovell insists that we must find the true medical and social causes of this cancer burden in order to attack it.

"Until we've done studies…with regards to the role of biology, social issues, or other factors, then really no one can stand on solid ground and say…’all we need to do is address the access issue.’ You really don't know until you do the study," said Jones.

Jones plans a major study on diet and lifestyle changes that may help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer for African-American women ages 25-45.

But there is still more to do. You can help by getting involved in outreach activities and events in your community. Volunteer your special talents or contribute to the cause by joining with the American Cancer Society. The Society has programs and services specifically tailored to special populations. You can make a difference.