Health & Medicine

Cancer Leading Cause of Death Among Hispanic Texans

Benita Matilda
First Posted: Oct 01, 2013 10:56 AM EDT

Cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanic Texans, according to a latest report.

The report , Comparative Effectiveness Research reveals that cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanic Texans under the age of 76.

Since 1990, the population of Hispanic Texans has more than doubled. The total state population consists of nearly 38 percent of the Hispanics. The report was produced after evaluating medicare claim records, Texas Cancer Registry and state vital statistics. They looked at ten years of data that included diagnosis of new cancer cases and cancer related mortalities in the past 21 years.

They compared the rates and trends of cancer in Hispanics and non Hispanic whites in Texas. They noticed that the Hispanic Texans are less likely to be screened for breast or colon cancer. The rate for new diagnoses of breast, colon and lung cancer is also low.

Stomach and liver cancer is common among Hispanic men, and among Hispanic women it is stomach, liver and cervical cancer. Excluding stomach and liver cancer, the overall mortality from other types of cancer was low among Hispanic Texans.  Those Hispanics who were diagnosed with cancer, a few were in early stages but breast cancer was detected at a 12 percent higher rate.

The researchers were surprised to note that even if diagnosed with advanced stage cancer the death rate was lower in Hispanics than the whites. This particular Hispanic Paradox has been noticed in previous studies too. When compared to white Americans, the Hispanic Americans survive illness and live longer with the same disease.

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