The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is making experts available to discuss risk factors, treatment and prevention options for the various types of cancers that are more prevalent in ethnic and racial minority groups during this National Minority Cancer Awareness Week (April 18th to 24th). The American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute choose to highlight this week because of high cancer rates and deaths for these populations living in the United States.

While the reasons for the unequal cancer burden among different minority groups may not be fully known, factors are believed to include lower incomes, inferior health insurance or none at all, and greater poverty than the general population. As a result, members of these populations may put off the expense of seeing a doctor until they are very sick and are diagnosed at a later stage, and thus have a poorer chance of survival.

Key Statistics about Cancer in Minorities from the American Cancer Society:

 African-Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival following diagnosis of any racial and ethnic group in the U.S. for most cancers
 About 150,000 new cancer cases were diagnosed among African-Americans in 2009. Approximately 63,000 African-Americans died of cancer.
 The most commonly diagnosed cancers among African-American men are prostate, lung, and colorectal.
 Among African-American women, the most common cancers are breast, lung and colorectal.
 About 99,000 new cancer cases in Hispanic men and women were diagnosed last year. Among Hispanics, there were 29,000 cancer deaths.
 Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Hispanic men, while lung cancer accounts for the largest percentage of deaths in Hispanic males.
 Breast cancer is both the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women.

Studies show that cancer may be prevented by: maintaining a healthy weight, keeping physically active, limiting alcohol consumption, refraining from smoking, and having regular cancer screenings.

CINJ experts available for comment include:

Shawna Hudson, PhD, medical sociologist and director of community research in the Office of Extramural Affairs at CINJ; and assistant professor of family medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Hudson has conducted research on health care provider barriers to cancer screening in relation to racial/ethnic minorities and other medically underserved populations. She was recently certified as a behavioral and social science volunteer in the Socioeconomic Status Related Cancer Disparities Program of the American Psychological Association to act as a consultant for local organizations that deal with cancer.

Kiameesha R. Evans, MPH, CHES, program director of community outreach in the Office of Extramural Affairs at CINJ. Ms. Evans is presently conducting qualitative research on barriers to participation in cancer research studies in the African-American and Hispanic community and working on a colorectal cancer screening DVD. She is also the Co-Chair for the NJ Cancer Education and Early Detection (NJCEED) Public and Professional Education Committee.

Michelle Azu, MD, surgical oncologist at CINJ and assistant professor of surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Azu is a member of the breast oncology team at CINJ who has a special interest in health-related disparities. She and colleagues are currently studying why African- American women are diagnosed at earlier ages with breast cancer and why the disease has worse outcomes in African-American women than in Caucasian women. Dr. Azu can speak about disparities in breast cancer as they pertain to African-American women in the areas of treatment, insurance, and socio-economic factors.

Lorna Rodríguez, MD, PhD, chief of gynecologic oncology at CINJ; and associate professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She participates in clinical research regarding ovarian cancer prevention in patients at high risk of developing the disease. Dr. Rodriguez can discuss the importance of annual screenings and the benefits of the cancer vaccination designed to prevent the human papillomavirus (HPV), subtypes of which can lead to cervical cancer. Outside of the United States, cervical cancer is the number one killer of women worldwide, mostly due to the lack of screenings for underserved populations

Isaac Kim, MD, PhD, chief of urologic oncology at CINJ and associate professor of surgery, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. His research interests include tumor immunology focusing on immunosuppressive factors produced by prostate cancer cells. He has a specialty interest in robotic and minimally-invasive surgery, and can discuss cultural attitudes toward prostate cancer, for which African American men are at most risk.

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Source:  Cancer Institute of New Jersey