Comprehensive cancer control program (CCCP)

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California's Cancer Burden

Cancer Disparities: Race/Ethnicity and Sex

Figures 2 and 3: Cancer Disparities

The burden of cancer impacts Californians disproportionately, with the risk of developing cancer varying considerably by race/ethnicity. Among the four major race and ethnic groups, non-Hispanic Whites, both males and females, have the highest incidence of cancer overall, followed by non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, and Asian and Pacific Islanders. Overall, persons of Hispanic and Asian and Pacific Islander and Hispanic origin show cancer incidence rates about 27 to 35 percent lower, respectively, than those of non-Hispanic Whites. Other cancer disparities indicate that the incidence rate for thyroid cancer is 12 percent higher among non-Hispanic White females than among non-Hispanic Black females, while urinary bladder cancer incidence is 20 percent lower among Asian and Pacific Islander males than among non-Hispanic White males. Of the four major race and ethnic groups, non-Hispanic Blacks have the highest cancer mortality among both males and females, followed by non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics, and Asian and Pacific Islanders. The mortality rate for prostate cancer among non-Hispanic Blacks is 31 percent higher than the rate for Asian and Pacific Islanders (42.8 and 10.1 per 100,000, respectively), while the mortality rate for liver cancer is 12 percent higher among Asian and Pacific Islander males than non-Hispanic White males (12.9 and 7.8 per 100,000, respectively).

(Figures 2 and 3: AAIR and AAMR 2018-2022 by race/ethnicity and sex)

Figure 2. Five-year, age-adjusted incidence rates by race/ethnicity and sex, all cancers, 2018 - 2022, CA
	Male		Female
	Rate	Count	Rate	Count
Non-Hispanic white	484.6	266,991	429.5	242,926
Non-Hispanic black	482.2	29,710	397.2	28,141
Hispanic	353.4	94,780	347.4	111,284
Asian/Pacific Islander	300.6	51,005	332.6	68,240

*Rates are per 100,000 and age-adjusted to the 2000 US Std Population (19 age groups - Census P25-1130) standard.

~ Statistic could not be calculated.

^ Statistic not displayed due to fewer than 11 cases.

Source: California Cancer Registry, California Department of Public Health

Figure 3. Five-year, age-adjusted mortality rates by race/ethnicity and sex, all cancers, 2018 - 2022, CA
	Male		Female
	Rate	Count	Rate	Count
Non-Hispanic white	166.0	90,504	123.6	79,575
Non-Hispanic black	202.5	10,997	148.9	10,638
Hispanic	136.5	31,183	106.5	31,180
Asian/Pacific Islander	118.7	19,398	90.8	19,392
*Rates are per 100,000 and age-adjusted to the 2000 US Std Population (19 age groups - Census P25-1130) standard.
~ Statistic could not be calculated.
^ Statistic not displayed due to fewer than 11 cases.
Source: California Cancer Registry, California Department of Public Health

Tables 2A-2D show the five leading causes of cancer incidence and mortality among four of California's major racial/ethnic groups by sex. For each of the racial/ethnic groups, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among males, while breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among females. Among both males and females, lung and colorectal cancers rank among the top three most common cancers diagnosed among non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians and Pacific Islanders, while among non-Hispanic Whites, melanoma of the skin outranks colorectal cancer among the top three most common cancers. Prostate cancer and female breast cancer are the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic groups. Among both males and females, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among non-Hispanic Whites and Asian and Pacific Islanders.

Table 2A. Top five common cancers by incidence for males, by racial/ethnic group, as compared with the state's male population overall, California, 2018-2022.
All California Males		Non-Hispanic White		Non-Hispanic Black		Hispanic		Asian/Pacific Islander
	Rate		Rate		Rate		Rate		Rate
Prostate	104.3	Prostate	108.8	Prostate	165.3	Prostate	85.9	Prostate	60.5
Lung and Bronchus	40.3	Melanoma of the Skin	50.0	Lung and Bronchus	57.1	Colon and Rectum	37.8	Lung and Bronchus	40.7
Colon and Rectum	38.7	Lung and Bronchus	43.9	Colon and Rectum	43.2	Lung and Bronchus	25.5	Colon and Rectum	36.0
Melanoma of the Skin	30.7	Colon and Rectum	38.6	Kidney and Renal Pelvis	23.1	Kidney and Renal Pelvis	23.6	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	17.6
Urinary Bladder	27.5	Urinary Bladder	35.1	Urinary Bladder	20.2	Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma	20.4	Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma	17.4

Table 2B. Top five common cancers by incidence for females, by racial/ethnic group, as compared with the state's female population overall, California, 2018-2022.
All California Females		Non-Hispanic White		Non-Hispanic Black		Hispanic		Asian/Pacific Islander
	Rate		Rate		Rate		Rate		Rate
Breast	126.6	Breast	140.4	Breast	128.3	Breast	100.0	Breast	119.6
Lung and Bronchus	33.9	Lung and Bronchus	39.8	Lung and Bronchus	42.5	Colon and Rectum	28.5	Lung and Bronchus	28.6
Colon and Rectum	30.7	Melanoma of the Skin	31.6	Colon and Rectum	34.7	Corpus and Uterus, NOS	27.8	Colon and Rectum	27.1
Corpus and Uterus, NOS	28.3	Colon and Rectum	31.3	Corpus and Uterus, NOS	31.2	Lung and Bronchus	20.4	Corpus and Uterus, NOS	25.1
Melanoma of the Skin	18.4	Corpus and Uterus, NOS	27.1	Pancreas	14.9	Thyroid	19.6	Thyroid	20.3

Table 2C. Top five common cancers by mortality for males, by racial/ethnic group, as compared with the state's male population overall, California, 2018-2022.
All California Males		Non-Hispanic White		Non-Hispanic Black		Hispanic		Asian/Pacific Islander
	Rate		Rate		Rate		Rate		Rate
Lung and Bronchus	27.4	Lung and Bronchus	29.7	Prostate	42.8	Prostate	18.7	Lung and Bronchus	26.5
Prostate	20.4	Prostate	21.7	Lung and Bronchus	38.8	Lung and Bronchus	18.1	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	12.9
Colon and Rectum	14.2	Colon and Rectum	13.9	Colon and Rectum	19.5	Colon and Rectum	14.1	Colon and Rectum	12.2
Pancreas	11.8	Pancreas	12.6	Pancreas	14.4	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	13.9	Prostate	10.1
Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	10.5	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	7.8	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	12.7	Pancreas	10.4	Pancreas	9.4

Table 2D. Top five common cancers by mortality for females, by racial/ethnic group, as compared with the state's female population overall, California, 2018-2022.
All California Females		Non-Hispanic White		Non-Hispanic Black		Hispanic		Asian/Pacific Islander
	Rate		Rate		Rate		Rate		Rate
Lung and Bronchus	20.2	Lung and Bronchus	24.0	Breast	28.4	Breast	15.2	Lung and Bronchus	15.6
Breast	18.9	Breast	20.7	Lung and Bronchus	26.2	Lung and Bronchus	11.6	Breast	13.5
Colon and Rectum	10.3	Colon and Rectum	10.5	Colon and Rectum	13.8	Colon and Rectum	9.5	Colon and Rectum	8.7
Pancreas	9.3	Pancreas	9.3	Pancreas	12.4	Pancreas	9.1	Pancreas	7.9
Ovary	6.3	Ovary	6.9	Corpus and Uterus, NOS	10.9	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	7.3	Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct	5.7