High burden of liver, stomach. and cervical cancers among the Hispanic/Latino population

​Lack of healthcare coverage limits progress against these potentially preventable cancers.

A new report shows that although Hispanic men and women in the continental U.S. and Hawaii have 25% to 30% lower overall cancer incidence and mortality than non-Hispanic Whites, they continue to have a higher risk of potentially preventable, infection-related cancers, including approximately two-fold higher rates of liver and stomach cancers. Incidence of cervical cancer, which is almost completely preventable through screening and vaccination, is 32% higher in Hispanic women in the continental U.S. and Hawaii, and 78% higher in Puerto Rico compared to non-Hispanic White women.

The report, appearing in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, is the most comprehensive review of contemporary cancer statistics for the U.S. Hispanic population, including Puerto Rico, and is published every three years. Also published today and available on cancer.org is Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanic/Latino People 2021-2023 (pictured here).

The study, led by Kimberly Miller, MPH, a scientist at the American Cancer Society, notes that much of the high burden of these cancers in this population could be reduced by increasing access to high-quality prevention, early detection, and treatment services. The Hispanic/Latino population has the highest percentage of people without health insurance of any major racial/ethnic group in the U.S. -- nearly triple that of non-Hispanic Whites (26% versus 9%, respectively, among ages 18-64 years during 2017-2018). In Puerto Rico, home to about 3 million Hispanic Americans, nearly one-half of individuals receive health insurance through Medicaid, which is substantially underfunded in the territory.

Healthcare access challenges are also likely responsible, in part, for the narrowing gap in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence between Hispanic people and non-Hispanic White people. CRC incidence rates in Hispanic people were 25% lower than those in non-Hispanic Whites in 1995 but only 9% lower in 2018. This likely reflects less CRC screening among Hispanic individuals, which can prevent CRC through the detection and removal of precancerous lesions. Fewer than half (49%) of Hispanic people ages 45 and older were up to date with CRC screening in 2018 compared to 58% of non-Hispanic Whites, with a lower percentage among those who were uninsured (19% versus 25%).

The Hispanic/Latino population is the second-largest racial/ethnic group in the U.S., accounting for 19% (62.1 million) of the total population in 2020. The cancer burden in Hispanic people is expected to increase in part because population growth is now driven by births rather than immigration, and cancer rates among U.S.-born Hispanic people approach or surpass those of non-Hispanic Whites as a result of acculturation. However, cancer data are often only available for the Hispanic population in aggregate, masking these important differences by nativity, as well as those by Hispanic origin.

Cancer continues to be the leading cause of death among Hispanic people, followed by heart disease, reflecting the younger age of the population and the lower proportion of deaths due to heart disease among Hispanic women. An estimated 46,500 cancer deaths will occur among Hispanic individuals in the continental U.S. and Hawaii in 2021, for whom the most common causes of cancer death are lung cancer (13%), CRC (11%) and liver cancer (11%) among men, and breast cancer (14%), lung cancer (10%), and CRC (9%) among women. Breast cancer is also the leading cause of cancer death in women in Puerto Rico, and prostate cancer leads in men, reflecting the low-smoking prevalence in the territory.

Variations in cancer risk between Hispanic people and non-Hispanic White people, as well as within the Hispanic community, are primarily driven by differences in exposure to cancer-causing infectious agents and behavioral risk factors. For example, the prevalence of cigarette smoking in 2019 was 16% among non-Hispanic Whites compared to 9% among Hispanic people residing in the continental U.S. However, within the Hispanic population, smoking prevalence ranged from 6% among Central/South American people to 17% among Puerto Rican people who reside stateside. Counterbalancing generally low smoking rates, Hispanic people have among the highest prevalence of excess body weight, the second-most important modifiable cancer risk factor, especially among those who are U.S.-born.

“Addressing this critical gap for Hispanic individuals in obtaining access to high quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment is going to be essential for mitigating the predicted growth in the cancer burden,” said Kimberly. “In addition, more research is needed to assess not only the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of cancer care, but also the impact on cancer incidence and mortality trends as COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minority populations in the U.S.”

*Shared from MySocietySource.

ACS has a new chief information officer

Dru Rai has been hired to lead our digital, data, and information technology vision and strategic plans beginning Oct. 4.

For the last 30 years, Dru has served in leadership roles overseeing national and global digital product and technology services for leading businesses such as Ball Aerospace & Packaging Corporation, Dupont Coatings, and General Electric. Early in 2020, after a long and rewarding career in the private sector, Dru chose to redirect his career path to the nonprofit sector and has most recently served as the chief digital officer/CIO for Goodwill Industries.

"Notably, Dru has experience leading enterprise-wide digitization and business process transformation for marketing, sales, and manufacturing functions, so you can bet he is ready to further define the American Cancer Society’s digital-first orientation and help us modernize our way of doing business," said ACS CEO Karen Knudsen, MBA, PhD.

Dru received his Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from GB Pant University in India, and he earned his MBA in operations management at the University of Connecticut. 

Welcome, Dru!

*Shared from MySocietySource.

International Day for Universal Access to Information

 

Today on International Day for Universal Access to Information, we are honored to be able to provide 24-hours a day 7-days a week FREE access to cancer information and support at cancer.org and the American Cancer Society National Cancer Information Center (NCIC) 1 (800) 227-2345 phone line.

National Chocolate Milk Day

 

ACS awards $2M in transportation grants

 ​We expect it will provide much-needed support to 5,000 patients.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has awarded $2 million to more than 130 health systems across the country to help alleviate the financial burden of transportation costs for cancer patients. 

Cancer patients nationwide are struggling to overcome barriers to treatment, and this need is particularly urgent for people who are historically underserved. That's why we are using our Patient Support Rapid Impact Initiative funds to provide transportation grants to health systems around the U.S., in both urban and rural areas.

This funding is expected to assist 5,000 patients and provide approximately 70,000 rides to treatment. The assistance will be provided through gas cards, public transportation, ride share, or other on-demand transportation services. Each system will manage its own grant.

Each year, ACS typically serves under 6,000 cancer patients with transportation assistance through our existing transportation grants program. During 2020, the program provided more than 71,000 rides. A gap remains in many communities for cancer patients for whom transportation is a challenge. The newly awarded grants will provide a big boost to help address currently unmet needs. 

Transportation assistance is only one way the American Cancer Society is working to improve patient outcomes. We also provide direct patient support through education, navigation, and lodging. 

For cancer patients, lack of transportation creates significant barriers to receiving lifesaving treatment and is known to contribute to disparities in cancer outcomes. ACS patient support services—such as these transportation grants—fill critical gaps and are aligned to the ACS goal of improving lives. 

Transportation is the third most commonly cited barrier to accessing health services for older adults. It is estimated that 3.6 million people in the U.S. do not obtain medical care due to transportation issues. 

The American Cancer Society believes all people should have the opportunity to live a longer, healthier life free from cancer regardless of how much money they make, the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, gender identity, their disability status, or where they live. Achieving health equity requires the removal of barriers, including transportation, that prevent people from receiving the care and treatment they need.

"The American Cancer Society exists to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families through advocacy, discovery, and patient support. We are dedicated to reducing health disparities in cancer," said Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of ACS and ACS CAN. "Health care disparities can affect every step of cancer care — from prevention and screening to the quality of life after cancer treatment. Disparities in care such as gaps in treatment due to lack of transportation can result in serious health consequences for patients."

*Shared from MySocietySource.

ACS is ramping the young professionals' chapters

​The first year of a three-plan focuses on 16 markets across the U.S.

Over the weekend of Sept. 11-12, select volunteer leads from 16 of our Associate Board of Ambassadors (ABOA) chapters and ACS staff from across the nation met face-to-face in Chicago, home of our largest ABOA chapter with 150 members. (Our ABOA program is now the official name for our young professional groups for people ages 22-35.)

Attendees participated in strategy discussions about board development, structure, and design, and they were challenged to think beyond a single revenue event and get more involved in year-round recruitment and our mission.

This group of volunteers, known as Cohort 1, represented 16 target market areas:  Anchorage, Austin, Boston, Broward County (Fla.), Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Jackson, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Tampa. They are being led by volunteer Adam Schlesinger, national chair, ABOA, and Brad Wisdom, our director of youth and young professional engagement. We are forming a national ABOA board now that will be led by Adam.

Engaging young professionals in our mission is a priority. There are nearly 49 million Americans ages 22 - 35, and 43% of young professionals contribute to health-related charity causes at least once a year, and health causes are the number one cause supported by young professionals.  

Chicago was chosen as the venue so attendees could experience that chapter's Skyline Soiree. In its 14 years, the event has raised $3 million for ACS. It is the largest ACS young professional event in the country, bringing together more than 700 people.

The markets chosen for Cohort 1 either have established chapters with events and boards already in place, or are new or revamped chapters that show great promise. In year two and three of this plan, we will add brand new markets. 

PHOTO: Pictured in the front row, all the way to the right is Brad Wisdom. Adam is in the back row, third from left, in the light blue suit.

*Shared from MySocietySource. 

Cancer Research Day

What does it take to outsmart cancer? Research. The American Cancer Society has invested more than $5 billion in cancer research since 1946, all to find more – and better – treatments, uncover factors that may cause cancer, and improve cancer patients' quality of life. Learn more at www.cancer.org/research. #CancerReaearchDay

 

Bi Visibility Day

 

Today is #BiVisibilityDay! Today we recognize and celebrate bisexual history, the bisexual community and culture, and all the bisexual people in their lives. Learn more about the knowledge gaps among oncologists relating to cancer risk factors affecting the LGBTQIA+ community.

First Day of Fall

 

Two-thirds of Hope Lodge facilities now serving guests

 

Since August 30, the American Cancer Society has averaged one facility once again welcoming guests each day.

Earlier this summer, we announced a phased reopening plan for our Hope Lodge communities based on staff capacity, partner agreements, facility readiness, and community COVID transmission rates. 

At that time, we were hopeful that community transmission rates would continue a downward trend. However, the rise of the Delta variant in communities across the country required us to quickly reevaluate our criteria to meet the immediate needs of cancer patients amidst the pandemic. 

Recently, we continued our phased reopening of Hope Lodge communities with newly revised criteria. Hope Lodge communities will reopen at reduced capacity, gradually increasing occupancy in the coming months. 

The following facilities are currently serving guests: 

• Puerto Rico
• Charleston
• Burlington
• St. Louis
• Rochester, Minn.
• Iowa City
• Honolulu
• Greenville
• Memphis
• Jacksonville
• Atlanta
• Omaha
• New York
• Philadelphia 
• Kansas City
• Minneapolis
• Jackson, MS
• Birmingham
• Dallas
• Salt Lake City

The following facilities are available for referrals: 

• Lubbock, TX
• Tampa

“It’s clear that finding a path to opening our Hope Lodge communities in the face of the ongoing pandemic has to be a priority,” said ACS CEO Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD. “Many people might wonder what has changed that allows us to feel confident about reopening. The truth is that a lot has changed. Vaccines and testing are now widely available. That, along with ongoing public health prevention strategies that follow CDC guidelines, now make it possible for us to safely reopen our communities and provide this vital support for cancer patients.” 

The safety of our guests and staff remains our top priority. Each facility will implement comprehensive, layered prevention strategies to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. 

We’ll continue to refine our safety plans as facilities reopen. Additionally, all facilities will reopen with “essential personnel” only, which means that only Hope Lodge staff, patients and their caregivers, and approved vendors will be permitted in facilities.  

PHOTO: Pictured is our Hope Lodge in Salt Lake City.

*Shared from MySocietySource.

Sukkot

 

National Pepperoni Pizza Day

 

Talk like a Pirate Day

 

Lights Of Hope: Today at 1pm

 

Saturday, September 18th at 1:00pm PT, ACS CAN will host a livestream of Lights of Hope for all to watch. Displays from all across America will be highlighted while our speakers reflect and give remarks about why fighting cancer needs to be a congressional priority. They want a visible reminder to Congress that they need to do more to help fight this disease.

The Lights of Hope event is the American Cancer SocietyCancer Action Network’s signature fundraiser dedicated to honoring those who have been touched by cancer and remembering those lost. This year we are celebrating the 11th anniversary of Lights of Hope.

With help from volunteers across the country we will collect more than 50,000 Lights of Hope that that will be displayed in communities across America.

Funds raised through Lights of Hope enable ACS CAN to continue its mission to make fighting cancer a national priority with lawmakers in Washington, D.C.

Introducing our Patient Support Advisory Council

 

​This leading group of experts will guide our patient support efforts.

CEO Dr. Karen Knudsen has convened a group of the nation's leading patient support experts to form our new Patient Support Advisory Council.

Led by Otis Brawley, MD, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, and Greg Garber, MSW, LCSW, director of Oncology Supporter Services, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, this group will evaluate our Patient Support pillar and help reimagine our direct support to patients undergoing cancer care. 

Dr. Brawley's name will be familiar to many ACS volunteers and supporters. Before taking the job at Johns Hopkins in 2019, he served as the American Cancer Society's chief medical and scientific officer.

The Council represents the cancer continuum, with experts in medical oncology, oncology support, population health, caregiver and patient advocacy, health system administration, and public health.

Here are all members of the Patient Support Advisory Council: 

Charter Members (from ACS)

• CEO Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, MBA, PhD
• Kael Reicin, MBA, chief financial officer
• Brant Woodward, interim senior EVP, Field Operations
• Laura Makaroff, MD, SVP, Prevention & Early Detection, Research & Implementation
• Chuck Westbrook, SVP, Cancer Control Programs & Services
• Jennifer Greenwald, MPH, VP, Mission Strategy ＆ Operations, Research & Implementation

Charter Members (external)

• Otis Brawley, MD, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University
• Greg Garber, MSW LCSW, director of Oncology Support Services, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia
• Electra Paskett, PhD, Marion N. Rowley Designated Chair in Cancer Research, Ohio State University 
• Alex Khariton, RT, MBA, SVP of Oncology Services, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
• Terry Armstrong, caregiver/patient advocate
• Celeste Philip, MD, MPH, deputy director for non-infectious diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

*Shared from MySocietySource.

Yom Kippur Starts

 

National Hispanic Heritage Month

 

Si bien los hispanos tienen menos probabilidades que los caucásicos de ser diagnosticados con los cánceres más comunes (pulmón, colorrectal, mama y próstata), tienen un mayor riesgo de cánceres asociados con agentes infecciosos, como hígado, estómago y cuello uterino. En honor al Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana, aprenda más sobre el cáncer en latinos e hispanos. American Cancer Society tiene hablantes de español disponibles para ayudarlo y brindarle recursos sobre el cáncer, solo llame al 1 (800) 227-2345.

While Hispanics are less likely than Caucasians to be diagnosed with the most common cancers (lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate), they have a higher risk for cancers associated with infectious agents, such as liver, stomach, and cervix. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month learn more about cancer facts and figures for Hispanics and Latinos.

Adult brain tumor incidence is decreasing; survival rates remain low

 

Data show a slight increase in brain tumors among children and adolescents.

A new study finds that incidence rates for malignant brain and other central nervous system (CNS) tumors declined by 0.8% annually during 2008 through 2017 in the U.S. for all ages combined. 

The decline was driven by trends in adults, whereas rates have slightly increased by 0.5% to 0.7% annually among children and adolescents over the same time. The report, appearing in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, assessed contemporary patterns in brain tumor occurrence in the context of incidence, mortality, and survival trends in the U.S.

This collaborative study with Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States researchers, led by Kimberly D. Miller, MPH, American Cancer Society, also found that although malignant brain and other CNS tumors are rare in the U.S., they account for a substantial burden of cancer mortality. In 2021, an estimated 83,570 individuals will be diagnosed with brain and other CNS tumors in the U.S. (24,530 malignant tumors and 59,040 nonmalignant tumors), and 18,000 people will die from the disease.

While incidence rates for malignant tumors are declining overall, survival remains low -- only 36% of patients survive more than 5 years after diagnosis, up from 26% for patients diagnosed in the mid-1970s. The slow progress largely reflects a lack of advancement in the early detection and treatment of glioblastoma, for which 5-year survival only increased from 4% to 7% during this time period. Glioblastoma accounts for 49% of all malignant brain cancers in the U.S. and 54% of malignant cases in adults.  

Glioblastoma incidence increases with age, with the highest rates occurring among those aged 75 to 84 years. As with other gliomas, it is more common in males than in females (5.6 vs 3.5 cases per 100,000 population, respectively, during 2013-2017). Rates in non-Hispanic White adults (5.1 cases per 100,000) are more than double those in non-Hispanic Black adults (2.5 cases per 100,000) and American Indian/Alaska Native adults (2.6 cases per 100,000) and are >3-fold the rates in those who are Asian or Pacific Islander (1.6 cases per 100,000) for reasons that are largely unknown. Racial/ethnic differences are unlikely to be due to detection bias because of the symptomatic and aggressive nature of glioblastomas. As with other gliomas, the risk of glioblastoma increases with higher socioeconomic status, although this association is significant among White individuals only. The reason for this association of glioblastoma risk with socioeconomic status is unknown.

Incidence rates for nonmalignant tumors, which disproportionately affect women and Black people, are slowly increasing, likely due to improvements in detection and increased awareness. For example, incidence rates for meningioma, which accounts for 54% of all nonmalignant cases in the U.S., increased by 0.9% annually among adults from 2008 to 2017. Though 5-year relative survival for all nonmalignant tumors remains high (92%), patients often experience debilitating long-term effects from their tumor and/or its treatment.

The report also found persisting disparities among children. For example, mortality rates are the same in White and Black children despite lower incidence in Black children, reflecting lower 5-year survival (70% versus 79%, respectively). The largest Black-White disparities for children diagnosed during 2009 to 2015 were for diffuse astrocytomas (75% versus 86%, respectively) and embryonal tumors (59% versus 67%).

“Although the molecular understanding of how brain cancers differ from each other is advancing rapidly, we continue to know little about why these tumors develop in the first place. To facilitate greater understanding, it critical to have access to timely, comprehensive data on occurrence,” said Miller. “This is particularly important to understand the causes of sex, age, and racial/ethnic differences, especially for rarer subtypes and among understudied populations.”

The report also noted differences in incidence by sex:

• Malignant brain tumor incidence rates were higher in males (8.3 cases per 100,000) compared to females (6.0).
• Conversely, incidence rates for nonmalignant tumors were higher in females (20.3) compared to males (12.8).
• For malignant tumors, sex differences were largest among ages 45 years or older, among whom rates in females were 30% lower than those in males.
• For nonmalignant tumors, sex differences peaked in ages 25-29 years, among whom rates in females were >2-fold those in males (10.2 versus 4.7 per 100,000), a pattern driven by high pituitary adenoma rates in females in this age group.

*Shared from MySocietySource.