Experts from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey are Available to Comment on the Prevention, Treatment and Detection of Cancer for Ethnic and Minority Groups
Newswise — New Brunswick, N.J., March 30, 2012 – The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is making experts available during National Minority Cancer Awareness Week (April 15 to 21) to discuss risk factors, treatment and prevention options for the various types of cancers that are more prevalent among ethnic and racial minority groups. The American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute are highlighting this week because of high cancer rates and deaths among 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 in 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.• It is estimated that about 169,000 new cancer cases will be diagnosed among African-Americans by year’s end. Approximately 66,000 African-Americans will die from 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. • Nearly 99,000 new cancer cases in Hispanic men and women were diagnosed in 2009. 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 that group.• Breast cancer is both the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women. • Among Asian Indian and Pakistani women, breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death. (source: National Cancer Institute)
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:
Michelle Azu, MD, surgical oncologist at CINJ and assistant professor of surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Azu is a member of the Stacy Goldstein Breast Cancer Center at CINJ who has a research interest in health-related disparities. She and colleagues are currently studying why African- American women are diagnosed at earlier ages with breast cancer than other women 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.
Shawna Hudson, PhD, director of community research at CINJ and associate professor of family medicine and community health 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 is certified as a behavioral and social science volunteer in the Socioeconomic Status Related Cancer Disparities Program of the American Psychological Association and acts as a consultant for local organizations that deal with cancer.
Aparna Kolli, MD, surgical oncologist at CINJ and instructor of surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Kolli is a member of the Stacy Goldstein Breast Cancer Center at CINJ and has a research interest in breast cancer in the South Asian community. She can discuss such issues as cultural and socio-economic barriers to breast cancer screening within this population.
Lorna Rodríguez, MD, PhD, chief of gynecologic oncology at CINJ and professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She performs clinical and basic research regarding new treatment approaches to ovarian cancer. Dr. Rodriguez can discuss the importance of annual Pap screenings and the benefits of the anti-HPV vaccination designed to prevent the human papillomavirus (HPV), subtypes of which can lead to cervical cancer. Overall, according to the American Cancer Society, cervical cancer incidence rates among Hispanic women residing in the U.S. are about 70 percent higher than those in non-Hispanic whites.
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