Cancer And Race Link??

Is it hard to comprehend that one race is more linked to cancer over another, especially in the same country. While racial disparity in cancer death rates is decreasing, African Americans still have a greater chance of cancer than whites. Although since 1991, cancer rates among African Americans has been steadily decreasing, their rates are still nocticably higher than whites. In 2005, when compared to white men and women, cancer death rates in African-American men were 33% higher and 16% higher in African-American women.

Prostate, breast, lung, and colorectal are the most common cancers among African Americans.
African Americans are most likely to be diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease for all cancer types. This is also what contributes to death rates being higher in this race. As we know, advanced stages of cancer are less treatable.

The reason for this discrepancy is not clear at all. Some reasoning points to most of the African American population has "far less utilization of screening", "barriers to high-quality health care," and being overweight or obese. " And according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 76% of African Americans are overweight and 46% are obese, compared to 66% and 33%, respectively, of whites."

extra insight:
“Rates are driven by social and economic factors,” says Jemal.
"Many African Americans live in poor, urban areas where there are limited recreational opportunities, and they're less likely to find healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. There are a lot of environmental deterrents for persons residing in poor neighborhoods, from cancer prevention to early detection and treatment,” Jemal says

website:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Cancers_Racial_Gap_Narrowing_Yet_Challenges_Persist.asp
Shonneau Lippett (wk 3)