Minorities’ Cancer Rates Focus of Study

The National Cancer Institute on Thursday announced $60 million in new grants to large research institutions to help link them with community programs to better prevent, treat and study cancer among racial minorities.

The aim is to reduce the unequal cancer burden borne by African Americans, Latinos and other minority groups.

“It is designed to encourage people from the community to work with scientists,” said Dr. Richard D. Klausner, director of the institute.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death for all Americans, but African Americans have a cancer death rate about 35% higher than that of whites.

Possible reasons include poverty, lifestyle, cultural differences and access to health care. Also, recent studies have suggested that health care providers often offer different treatments depending on race and that whites fare better in this regard.

“The question we are dealing with is why cancer affects . . . groups differently,” said Dr. Harold Freeman, chairman of a presidential advisory panel on cancer. “The reasons for these disparities need to be investigated further.”

For example, “poverty and cancer are generally a lethal combination,” he added. “Poor people have low access to preventive services, and less knowledge. They are living in conditions that are substandard. They have more risks due to lifestyle.”

The Cancer Institute awarded 18 grants to 17 research institutions, many of which have a history of working within their communities on health care issues.

They include UC Irvine, which will establish the Pacific Islander Cancer Control Network to increase cancer awareness, research and recruitment for clinical trials among American Samoans, Tongans and Chimorras/Guamanians.

Baylor College of Medicine in Houston will set up a national network and six regional networks to boost cancer awareness, training and research in populations of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban or Central American origin in New York, Chicago, Miami, San Antonio, San Diego and San Francisco.

“We know very little about the major cancer issues within this population,” said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, who will be running the Baylor program.

The overall project will be carried out in three phases, the institute said. During the first year, cancer awareness activities will be created in targeted communities.

During the second and third years, researchers will focus on finding ways to increase minority participation in clinical trials.

The last phase of the trial will incorporate information learned from the pilot projects to further expand the research.