Learn About Cancer »Latino Community and Cancer

Cancer Facts You Should Know

Hispanic or Latino refers more to a culture and a community rather than a specific set of physical characteristics. Hispanic culture includes people from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Spain, and another 20 nations in Central and South America and the Caribbean; yet within these groups is a diverse mix of native American, African, Spanish, Portugeuse, and other groups.

This diversity presents a challenge in cancer prevention education, but it's a challenge Fox Chase Cancer Center is helping to meet. To help reduce incidence and improve outcomes, Fox Chase offers programs aimed at prevention, detection and treatment for people at high risk of prostate, breast, ovarian, lung and colorectal cancers.

The Hispanic and Latino population is the fastest-growing minority in the United States. In the Philadelphia area alone, Latinos are 10% of the population, an increase of almost 14% between 2000 and 2005. Like any other community, there are low rates for some illnesses, but also higher rates for certain types of cancer, in this case cervical, stomach, liver and leukemia.

Día de la Mujer Latina
(Day of the Latin Woman)

This one-day health festival is part of a national program designed to improve the health of Latinas. Día de la Mujer removes barriers such as access to care, lack of insurance, and language, that often impede Latinos' ability to receive health care and information.

Festivals held locally in 2004 and 2005 drew about three hundred people from the community each time for free medical screenings, education and presentations to address health conditions that affect Latinos most often: heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Free on-site mammograms provided by Fox Chase Cancer Center's Mobile Mammography Van reached over 50 women. Findings indicated a high percentage of women without health insurance and in need of additional films.

Additionally, the festival offered oral health screenings, cholesterol and glucose screenings, healthy cooking demonstrations, car seat safety installation checks, breast health and domestic violence presentations, and games and music for the whole family.

Bi-lingual volunteers manned the event. Since the planning committee included member organizations from the Latino community, there was no cost associated with any of the services.

The Health Communications and Health Disparities Department at Fox Chase Cancer Center co-directed the event including program planning, implementation and evaluation. The CIS was a co-sponsor with I-Lead, Inc.

Prostate Cancer
and Latino Men

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer diagnosed in men in the United States. Highlighting the diversity of the Latino population, Mexican men have a lower frequency of prostate cancer than the general North American male population, while Puerto Rican men have a frequency rate similar to the average population. Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment at Fox Chase can help assess your personal prostate cancer risk.

Breast Cancer
and Latino Women

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among Latino women, even though more white women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Only 38% of Latino women age 40 and over have regular mammograms. This means Latino women are often diagnosed at later, harder-to-treat stages of breast cancer. Access to top-quality care and genetics may contribute to increased risk. Learn more about your personal risk for breast cancer

Cervical Cancer and Latino Women

The rate of cervical cancer is two- to three-times higher among Latino women. Making the community more aware of screening oppportunites is a priority at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Treating cervical cancer at Fox Chase brings together some of the finest physicians available.

Lung Cancer and Latino Americans

According to the American Lung Association, almost 6,000 Hispanics a year are expected to be diagnosed with lung cancer in the United States. Lung cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer within this population. Get the help you need to quit smoking through our Resource and Education Center.

Colorectal Cancer and the Latino Community

Through Fox Chase Cancer Center's Gastrointestinal Tumor Risk Assessment, program, we can develop a personal screening plan for you to help detect cancers at the earliest, most treatable stage. Periodic screenings for colorectal cancer can detect polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancers capable of spreading to other parts of the body. The good news is that most polyps can be removed without surgery.

Detecting Cancer Later in the Latino Community

Minorities are more likely than whites to be diagnosed at a later stage of cancer. This may be due to factors such as less knowledge about cancer symptoms and reduced access to cancer screening services. Later stage detection adds to lower cure rates and shorter survival. Fox Chase offers an array of cancer prevention programs as well as outreach services.

Community Outreach Services

Fox Chase Cancer Center has developed a community outreach program designed to target minority populations with health disparities (Hispanic, Asian, African-American and Native-American). In order to build relationships with these racial groups, Fox Chase offers community based educational programming and screening opportunities and helps organizations interested in developing cancer-related programs for the Latino community, providing technical support in program development, implementation and evaluation. Organization leaders interested in starting a cancer-related program should contact Evelyn Gonzalez at 215-728-3110 x7404.

For more information about cancer health disparities, visit the following web sites:

• Centers for Disease Control
• National Cancer Institute's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities
• Intercultural Cancer Council