Gap In Black, White New Cancer Diagnoses Narrowing In Missouri; Mortality Rate Gap Falling More Slowly, Study Finds

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 26 Sep 2008 - 8:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The gap between blacks and whites in Missouri for newly diagnosed cancers is narrowing in part because of an overall decline in smoking and an increase in cancer screenings, according to a study to be published early next year in the journal Missouri Medicine, the AP/St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The study -- led by Mario Schootman, an associate professor of epidemiology and medicine at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine and head of the Siteman Cancer Center -- examined data from the Missouri Cancer Registry and the state Department of Health and Senior Services from 1990 to 2005.

According to the study, the rate of new cancer diagnoses for blacks was 18% higher than it was for whites in 1996, but by 2003 the gap fell to 6%. "If the trend continues, we expect the difference in new diagnos[es] for blacks and whites will disappear by 2006," Schootman said, noting that 2006 data are not yet available.

The study also found that although the black cancer mortality rate fell from 48% higher than that of whites in 1996 to 28% higher by 2005, it is expected to remain higher than that of whites for about 15 to 20 more years. The study also found that when compared with whites:

• Blacks were more likely to be screened for colorectal cancer, but their death rate from the cancer was 42% higher;
  
• Black women had a 9% lower rate of breast cancer but a 46% higher breast cancer mortality rate;
  
• Black men had a 116% higher rate of prostate cancer mortality; and
  
• Black men had a 15% higher lung cancer mortality rate.
  

The study did not examine the reasons behind the findings, but Schootman said previous research has found that blacks have less access to care, do not get follow-up screenings or take advantage of available treatment, are not following healthy lifestyles and often have more aggressive tumors (Wittenauer, AP/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 9/24).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.