Fewer Black People Are Dying From Cancer

Overall, fewer black people are dying from cancer. But those who are diagnosed with a cancer are more likely to die than white people, according to a new study. A report that comes out from the American Cancer Society that comes out every two years said that black people are generally diagnosed at a more advanced stage than white people, which makes it harder for them to recover. The report said death rates for all cancers combined have decreased faster for black men than white men; for black women, the rate is dropping more slowly than for white women.

In 2005, the death rate for all cancers was 33 percent higher in black men and 16 percent higher in black women than in their white counterparts. Estimates say that 150,000 black people will get a diagnosis of an invasive cancer this year. It also predicts 63,000 deaths from cancer. "The causes of these disparities are complex and likely reflect social and economic disparities, not biologic differences. African Americans face inequalities in income, education and standard of living, as well as barriers to accessing high-quality health care," said Dr. Otis Brawley, the chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.