• Cancer burden facing Asian Americans par

    From ScienceDaily@1:317/3 to All on Tue Apr 19 22:30:44 2022
    Cancer burden facing Asian Americans partly caused by racism, experts
    say
    Commentary suggests racism affects Asian American cancer inequities

    Date:
    April 19, 2022
    Source:
    University of California - Davis Health
    Summary:
    Racism facing Asian Americans is compounding existing cancer
    inequities.

    They are the first U.S. population group to experience cancer
    as the leading cause of death. A commentary outlines the factors
    contributing to this.



    FULL STORY ==========================================================================
    The Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) published a
    commentary today on the significant cancer disparities facing Asian
    Americans. The article is authored by seven researchers from across the
    country who participated in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oncology Center of Excellence "Conversations on Cancer" held on July 29,
    2021. The virtual "conversation," the first by the FDA, focused on the
    unfair cancer burden impacting Asian Americans. The lead author of the commentary is Moon Chen, associate director for community outreach and engagement with the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.


    ==========================================================================
    In percentage terms, Asian Americans are the fastest-growing U.S. racial
    group for the past three censuses, yet data aggregation obscure
    distinctions within subgroups of the more than 24 million Asians living
    in the United States. The JNCI commentary illustrates the harmful impacts
    this is having on Asian American communities.

    Chen said the neglect of Asian American cancer inequities stems from
    multiple factors. They include historical prejudices against Asian
    Americans and the myth of Asian Americans as the model healthy minority, compounded by language and cultural barriers as well as racism.

    "Asian Americans are unique as the first U.S. population to experience
    cancer as the leading cause of death," said Chen. "Bigotry against Asian Americans, pervasive since the 19th century, but especially during the
    COVID-19 pandemic, is only exacerbating the cancer disparities that
    are costing Asian Americans their lives." High rates of certain cancer
    in Asian Americans The authors cite a disproportionate rate of certain
    cancers affecting Asian Americans including:
    * Cancers due to infectious origin such as the human
    papillomavirus. For
    example, Vietnamese American women experience the highest U.S
    rates of cervical cancer.

    * High rates of liver cancer caused by chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)
    infection rates in Asian and Southeast Asian Americans, including
    Hmong Americans.

    * Nasopharyngeal cancers, occurring in the upper part of the throat
    behind
    the nose, affecting Chinese Americans at high rates.

    * Stomach cancers, which have the highest rates among Korean
    Americans.

    * Lung cancer among never-smokers that disproportionately affects
    Asian
    American women at a rate of more than twice that of non-Hispanic
    white women.

    The authors note an "infinitesimal proportion" of the National
    Institutes of Health (NIH) budget funded Asian American research even
    though the population is experiencing the highest percentage increases
    of any U.S. racial population for the past three decades. Between 1992
    and 2018, only 0.17% of the total budget of the NIH funded research on
    Asian Americans. A portfolio analysis of grants funded by the National
    Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences
    showed a very limited number of studies focused on Asian Americans,
    with none at the time addressing the causes of cancer.



    ========================================================================== Asian Americans are also underrepresented in clinical trials. According
    to the commentary, only 1% of clinical trials emphasize racial and
    ethnic minority participation as a primary focus. Only 5 such trials
    focus on Asian Americans as compared with 83 for African Americans and
    32 for Hispanics.

    "Classifying Black Americans and Hispanic Americans as underrepresented minorities in clinical trials is helpful, but it is regrettable that our national policy excludes designating Asian Americans as underrepresented minorities, as documented by data in this commentary," said Chen. "There
    is a myth that Asian Americans don't get cancer, but that is far from
    the truth." What needs to happen to equalize cancer inequities To
    rectify inequities, the authors recommend a call to action:
    1. Disaggregate data for Asian American subgroups (Cambodia, China,
    India,
    Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand,
    and Vietnam). The commentary calls for a separate focus on Native
    Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.

    2. Assess the impact of lived experiences and historical trauma. The
    authors
    state that culturally competent oncology care is required to
    improve access to health insurance/health care. They assert it is
    also needed to address language and cultural barriers that prevent
    Asian Americans from getting the medical help they need.

    3. Listen to community voices. Rich diversity and unique experiences
    within
    Asian American communities are best understood and appreciated by
    listening to and partnering with patients and community advocates.

    Research must ensure community representation, buy-in and
    engagement.

    "It is also important to focus on the impact of racism on cancer
    disparities and prioritize funding resources. Otherwise, we will not
    take the necessary steps forward for achieving health equity for Asian Americans," Chen added.

    The other authors on this commentary include: Richard J. Lee, Ravi
    A. Madan, Van Ta Park, Susan M. Shinagawa, Tracy Sun, Scarlett L. Gomez.

    The Oncology Center of Excellence at the FDA sponsoredConversations
    on Cancer: Advancing Equity in Asian American and Pacific Islander
    Communities: Racism and Injustice, which was the virtual panel discussion
    upon which the commentary is based. The work was supported by the National Institute on Aging (R24AG063718) and the National Cancer Institute (P30CA093373).


    ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
    University_of_California_-_Davis_Health. Note: Content may be edited
    for style and length.


    ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
    1. Moon S Chen, Richard J Lee, Ravi A Madan, Van Ta Park, Susan
    M Shinagawa,
    Tracy Sun, Scarlett L Gomez. Charting a Path Towards Asian American
    Cancer Health Equity: A Way Forward. JNCI: Journal of the National
    Cancer Institute, 2022; DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac055 ==========================================================================

    Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220419124128.htm

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