Cancer

Cancers occur when certain body cells don't function right, divide uncontrollably, and produce too much tissue, resulting in a tumor. Cancerous tumors then invade healthy, normal functioning cells. New cases of certain cancers occur more often in African American women, including colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lung cancer. The death rate from colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer is higher among African American women than other racial groups. Overall, African American women are more likely to die from cancer than persons of any other racial and ethnic group. There is not enough information to figure out why African Americans bear this cancer burden. Some reasons may be poor access to health care, poverty, tumors found at a later (more advanced) stage, different belief systems, fear of talking about cancer, and lack of trust of the medical system.