Cancer incidence patterns identified in Hispanics living in the United States

According to data from a recent study, first-generation Hispanics living in the United States have varying patterns of cancer diagnoses and outcome. The risk for most cancers was at least 40% higher among Hispanics living in the United States compared with those living in their homelands.

Using data from the Florida cancer registry and the 2000 U.S. Census population, the researchers identified 301,944 cancer cases in the state of Florida diagnosed between 1999 and 2001. They identified 30,238 Hispanic patients, including Cubans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and other Latinos. The researchers evaluated the types of cancers occurring in each group and compared their risk after moving to the United States.

The age-adjusted cancer incidence rate was lower for all Hispanic men compared with whites (537/100,000 person-years vs. 601/100,000 person-years). The same was true for Hispanic and white women (376/100,000 person-years vs. 460/100,000 person-years). Puerto Ricans had the highest cancer incidence rates, followed by Cubans; Mexicans had the lowest rates.

Among Hispanics, Cuban men had the highest incidence of tobacco-related cancers. Cuban men also had the highest rate of laryngeal cancer. Although Puerto Ricans had cancer incidence rates similar to rates in whites, rates of lung cancer and melanoma in both men and women and breast cancer in women were much lower in Puerto Ricans than in whites.

Lung cancer rates were four-times higher in Mexican and Puerto Rican women compared with the rates of Hispanics living in their countries of origin. The rates were doubled in Mexican and Puerto Rican men. However, Hispanics in their home countries had higher incidences of stomach cancer in both men and women and liver cancer in women.

“Knowledge of cancer patterns in these subpopulations is vital,” the researchers wrote. “These data influence public health policy and form the basis of etiologic hypotheses.”

In addition, the researchers wrote that their findings should be further investigated.

Pinheiro PS. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009;18:2162-2169.