Cancer and Hispanic Americans

Hispanic American men and women generally have lower cancer rates than the non-Hispanic white population. However, disparities still exist in certain types of cancer.

• Hispanic males were 20% less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than non-Hispanic white males.1
• Hispanic females were 30% less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than non-Hispanic white females.1
• Both Hispanic males and females were almost twice as likely to have, and to die from, liver cancer than non-Hispanic whites.1
• Hispanic males and females were twice as likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer, and twice as likely to die from stomach cancer, than non-Hispanic white males and females.1
• Hispanic females were 40% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white females.1

Diagnosis

Cancer among adults age 18 and over, age-adjusted percentage, 2023
Cancer	Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	3.7	13.0	0.3
Breast	0.7	2.2	0.3
Cervical (women)	0.4	1.2	0.3
Prostate (men)	1.0	3.0	0.3

Top Cancer Sites for Hispanics (2017–2021)

Cancer Incidence among males, rate per 100,000 population, 2017–2021
Cancer	Hispanic (any race) Males	Non-Hispanic White Males	Hispanic (any race) / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	367.0	510.7	0.7
Colon & Rectum	39.4	42.0	0.9
Esophagus	4.7	8.3	0.6
Kidney	23.1	22.9	1.0
Liver & IBD	21.5	11.2	1.9
Lung	31.0	60.0	0.5
Oral Cavity & Pharynx	10.2	20.1	0.5
Pancreas	13.0	16.0	0.8
Prostate	88.1	114.9	0.8
Stomach	11.9	7.5	1.6

Top Cancer Sites for Hispanics (2017–2021)

Cancer incidence among females, rate per 100,000 population, 2017–2021
Cancer	Hispanic (any race) Females	Non-Hispanic White Females	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	347.8	447.0	0.8
Breast	101.2	139.0	0.7
Cervical	9.8	6.9	1.4
Colon & Rectum	28.7	32.4	0.9
Kidney	13.5	11.1	1.2
Liver & IBD	9.4	4.3	2.2
Lung	22.6	52.2	0.4
Pancreas	11.4	11.9	1.0
Stomach	8.4	3.7	2.3
Uterus	26.9	27.7	1.0

5-Year Survival Rate

5-year survival rate among males by cancer site, percentage, 2014–2020
Cancer	Hispanic (any race) Males	Non-Hispanic White Males	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	63.6	68.7	0.9
Colon & Rectum	62.5	65.2	1.0
Kidney	77.0	79.0	1.0
Liver & IBD	19.8	20.5	1.0
Lung	20.1	22.6	0.9
Pancreas	12.1	12.8	1.0
Prostate	94.1	98.0	1.0
Stomach	28.7	32.6	0.9

5-year survival rate among females, percentage, 2014–2020
Cancer	Hispanic (any race) Females	Non-Hispanic White Females	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	70.3	71.3	1.0
Breast	88.4	93.0	1.0
Cervical	69.6	67.8	1.0
Colon & Rectum	66.4	66.1	1.0
Kidney	81.6	80.9	1.0
Liver & IBD	20.9	21.1	1.0
Lung	31.3	30.8	1.0
Pancreas	15.8	12.3	1.3
Stomach	37.2	44.1	0.8
Uterus	80.0	84.2	1.0

Death Rate

5-year mortality among males, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2018–2022
Cancer	Hispanic (any race) Males	Non-Hispanic White Males	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	126.8	179.0	0.7
Colon & Rectum	13.4	15.2	0.9
Liver & IBD	12.6	8.4	1.5
Lung	19.4	41.2	0.5
Pancreas	9.7	13.2	0.7
Prostate	15.4	18.1	0.9
Stomach	5.7	2.8	2.0

5-year mortality among females, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2018–2022
Cancer	Hispanic (any race) Females	Non-Hispanic White Females	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Sites	93.2	131.0	0.7
Breast	13.7	19.4	0.7
Cervical	2.4	2.1	1.1
Colon & Rectum	8.5	10.9	0.8
Liver & IBD	6.1	3.8	1.6
Pancreas	8.2	9.8	0.8
Stomach	3.8	1.4	2.7
Uterus	4.4	4.7	0.9

Screening

Breast Cancer

Women age 40 and over who had a mammogram within the past 2 years, percentage, 2019 (crude)
Hispanic Women	Non-Hispanic White Women	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
69.4	69.4	1.0

Cervical Cancer

Women age 18 and over who had a Pap smear within the past 3 years, percentage, 2018 (crude)
Hispanic Women	Non-Hispanic White Women	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
71.1	63.7	1.1

Colorectal Cancer

Adults ages 50–75 who had any colorectal test or procedure, percentage, 2018
Hispanic	Non-Hispanic White Women	Hispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
49.3	64.0	0.8

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1 SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics. Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute (Back to top)