Hispanic-Americans lack cancer care, expert warns

By Megan Rauscher

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A national strategy on cancer prevention and education aimed at the Hispanic population in the United States is urgently needed, an oncologist from the University of Cincinnati told participants at the National Hispanic Medical Association meeting in San Antonio.

Hispanics are the fastest growing minority population in this country, Dr. Margie Gerena-Lewis noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health. "One of the problems with the Hispanic population in the United States is that they do not get any screening tests for cancer."

"That's because a lot of the Hispanic population have low incomes and they do not have good access to medical care," she explained. "If they do have access, they often do not trust the medical system. Many do not have legal papers and they fear they could potentially be deported if they seek care."

As a result, Hispanics are often diagnosed late with cancers that are more advanced, more difficult to treat and potentially more expensive to the healthcare system, Gerena-Lewis added.

A number of factors have contributed to preventable cancer deaths in the Hispanic segment of the US population, Gerena-Lewis said, including a lack of knowledge or misinformation about the causes of cancer, poor dietary habits and increased rates of tobacco use.

The number of Hispanics entering the United States grows everyday "so this is not an issue that can be ignored as it will impact our public health system," Gerena-Lewis warned.

Ideally, she'd like to see doctors who can communicate with the Hispanic population go into the community and teach about prevention. Alternatively, people in the Hispanic community need to be taught about the measures they can take to prevent cancer, "so that it's not all resting on the shoulders of doctors and nursing staff."