Cancer Incidence Trends in Asian American Populations Indicate Need for Increased Prevention and Surveillance
In a report published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Scarlett Lin Gomez, PhD, of the Cancer Prevention Institute of California, and colleagues detailed cancer incidence trends among Asian American populations from 1990 through 2008. The findings indicate a need for increased prevention and surveillance efforts for lung, breast, and liver cancers, in particular, among several different populations.
Study Details
In the analysis, cancer incidence data from 1990 through 2008 were obtained from 13 Surveillance, Epidemiology, End Results (SEER) registries for 8 Asian American groups, consisting of Asian Indians/Pakistani, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Kampuchean, Korean, Laotian, and Vietnamese patients. Incidence rates and annual percentage change (APC) were calculated.
Prostate cancer was the most common malignancy among men in most groups, followed by lung, colorectal, liver, and stomach cancers. Breast cancer was generally the most common cancer in women followed by colorectal and lung cancers, with liver, cervix, thyroid, and stomach cancers also ranking highly.
Increasing Trends in Women
Among women, increases were observed for uterine cancer among Asian Indians (APC 1990-2008 = 3.0%), Chinese (APC 2004-2008 = 7.0%), Filipinas (APC 1990-2008 = 3.0%), and Japanese (APC 1990-2008 = 1.1%). Increases were also observed for colorectal cancer in Korean (APC 1990-2008 = 2.8%) and Laotian women (APC 1990-2008 = 5.9%), lung cancer in Filipina (APC 1990-2008 = 2.1%) and Korean women (APC 1990-2008 = 2.1%), and thyroid cancer in Filipina women (APC 1990-2008 = 2.5%). Increases in breast cancer were observed in most groups, with annual percentage changes ranging from 1.2% among Vietnamese and Chinese women to 4.7% among Korean women. Decreases in incidence were observed for stomach cancer in Chinese and Japanese women, colorectal cancer in Chinese women, and cervical cancers in Laotian and Vietnamese women.
Increasing Trends in Men
Among men, increasing trends were observed for prostate cancer among Asian Indians and Pakistanis (APC from 1990-2003 = 2.2%), Filipinos (APC from 1990-1994 = 19.0%), and Koreans (APC from 1990-2008 = 2.9%). Increasing trends were also observed for colorectal cancer among Korean men (APC 1990-2008 = 2.2%) and for liver cancers among Filipino (APC 1990-2008 = 1.6%), Korean (APC 1990-2006 = 2.1%), and Vietnamese men (APC 1990-2008 = 1.6%). Lung and stomach cancer incidences generally remained stable or decreased.
The authors concluded: “These data fill a critical knowledge gap concerning the cancer experience of Asian American groups and highlight where increased preventive, screening, and surveillance efforts are needed—in particular, lung cancer among Filipina and Korean women and Asian Indian/Pakistani men, breast cancer among all women, and liver cancer among Vietnamese, Laotian, and Kampuchean women and Filipino, Kampuchean, and Vietnamese men.”
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.
