ACS: Fewer Black men are dying from cancer

Black men in the U.S. between the ages of 40 to 59 experienced a 65% to 67% decline in cancer mortality between 1999 and 2022, according to a report published February 20 by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The good news reflects historical reductions in smoking initiation among Black teens, advances in treatment, and earlier detections for some cancers, according to the paper's lead author Anatu Saka from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta and colleagues from Emory University in Atlanta and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA.

While cancer mortality has declined for both Black men and women in the U.S., the bad news is that both continue to have a disproportionately elevated cancer burden compared with other population groups, the authors also noted in their research detailed in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. The trend is driven in part by lower socioeconomic status, which results in a higher prevalence of risk factors for cancer and other diseases as well as less access to high‐quality healthcare.

"Even when treatment is available, patients with limited financial resources may face nonmedical barriers, such as the lack of transportation, the inability to take time off from work, and other logistical challenges," stated Saka and colleagues in the report. They recommended requirements for increased diversity in clinical trials, improving provider education, and strengthening the healthcare system through policies that eliminate cost‐sharing copays.

"In addition, pathways to ensure timely diagnostic follow‐up and treatment must be prioritized, alongside innovative strategies and financial incentives to promote equitable care delivery across the cancer continuum," the authors added.

Data analyzed for the ACS report encompassed population‐based cancer incidence data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s National Program of Cancer Registries; screening; and risk factors.

The authors also found the following:

1. Cancer ranked number two as the leading cause of death for both Black men and women through 2022, with heart disease as number one.
2. Overall, the lifetime probability of being diagnosed with cancer among Black men and women is 37% and 35%, respectively, compared with 41% and 40%, respectively, among white men and women.
3. Between 1999 and 2022, Black men experienced the largest relative decline in cancer mortality -- down 49% overall and 65% to 67% for those 40-59 years of age, in particular. The cancer mortality rate for Black women declined by 33% from 1991 to 2022.
4. Myeloma and cancers of the stomach, prostate, and uterine corpus (endometrial) are twice as deadly for Black Americans than other population groups, such as white or Hispanic.
5. Breast cancer mortality is 38% higher for Black women and has declined at a slightly slower rate (28%) compared to white women (36%), the authors noted. Later-stage diagnosis, barriers to treatment, higher prevalence of obesity, and other comorbidities contribute to these rates, as does the prevalence of more aggressive subtypes.
6. Prostate cancer is most commonly diagnosed among Black Americans, at 44% among men, followed by breast cancer at 34% among women, lung cancer at 10%, and colorectal cancer at 8%. These four cancers will account for 58% of all new cancers diagnosed among Black people.
7. Overall 5‐year relative survival rate among Black people has improved since 1964 -- from 27% during the period of 1960 through 1964 to 65% 2014 through 2020.

"This is a critical opportunity for the scientific, clinical, and policy-making community to come together to drive meaningful change," said Wayne Frederick, MD, interim chief executive officer of the ACS and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), in a statement. "Together we must inform strategies to close these gaps, improve early detection, and ensure equitable access to life-saving treatments for the Black community.”

“Given this latest data, it’s also more important than ever to understand how to reduce your chance of getting cancer," added William Dahut, MD, ACS chief scientific officer. "This means taking preventative health measures, like understanding your risk profile, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and keeping up on cancer screenings to catch the disease as early as possible."

See all statistics and the full report here.