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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