Celebrating Black History Month and National Cancer Prevention Month
By Sarah Ford on February 10, 2015
Source: Prevent Cancer Foundation
Did You Know…
– cancer is the second leading cause of death for African-Americans?
– three of the five most common cancers for African-Americans are preventable in most cases?
– the lifetime probability of dying from cancer is about 1 in 4 for African-American men and 1 in 5 for African-American women?
– the African-American population suffers from the highest cancer death rates of all minority groups in the United States?
February is both Black History Month and National Cancer Prevention Month, and a perfect time to shed some light on how to reverse the trend of the African-American population suffering with the highest cancer death rates of all minority groups.
Prostate, lung and colorectal are the leading types of cancer diagnosed in African-American men, and breast, lung and colorectal are the leading cancers for African-American women. One in two African-American men will be diagnosed with cancer in his lifetime and one in three African-American women will be diagnosed. Not only is the incidence rate higher in this community, but the death rate is also higher due to the late stage of diagnosis for most African-American patients.