Blood cancer health disparities in the United States Hispanic population

Abstract

Cancer is a challenging, multifaceted disease that involves a combination of biological and non-biological factors. Aside from COVID-19, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.), and the first among Hispanic Americans. The Hispanic population is the largest minority group in the U.S., which is rapidly growing in size. Unfortunately, U.S. Hispanics and other minority groups experience many different health disparities, resulting in poor survival outcomes and a reduced quality of life. Factors such as genomic mutations, lower socioeconomic status, lack of education, reduced access to health care, comorbidities, and environmental factors all contribute to these health care inequalities. In the context of blood cancer health disparities, Hispanic patients are often diagnosed at a younger age and have worse outcomes compared with non-Hispanic individuals. In the present article, we highlight the existing knowledge about cancer health disparities in the Hispanic population, with a focus on chronic and acute leukemia. In our experience at the U.S./Mexico border, analysis of several different blood cancers demonstrated that younger Hispanic patients with acute lymphoid or myeloid leukemia have higher incidence rates and worse prognoses. A combined approach, involving improved health care access and better knowledge of the underlying factors, will allow for more timely diagnoses and the development of intervention strategies aimed at reducing or eliminating the disparities.

Facility type and cancer outcomes in the United States

“…This survival disparity is also present between married and unmarried populations, with married patients having better overall survival than unmarried (including single, divorced, and widowed) patients ( 13 ). Patients living in rural areas, along the U.S.-Mexico border, and long distances from a comprehensive cancer center likewise tend to have worse prognoses ( 4 , 5 , 14 ). In all of these groups (low income, low education, uninsured, unmarried, and rural or border population), patients are more likely to present later in their disease progression.…”

“…In the United States (U.S.), over 1.8 million people are diagnosed annually with cancer, and nearly 610,000 people will die from their disease in 2023 alone ( 2 ). Despite recent advances in cancer diagnosis and therapy, the prognosis for many malignancies remains poor, and this is particularly true for certain racial and ethnic groups, who often see increased cancer incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disease burden ( 3 – 5 ).…”

“…However, there are also non-biological factors that play a role in cancer risk and outcomes. Non-biological factors such as socioeconomic status (SES), lower education or income levels, lack of health insurance, and geographic location can restrict health care access ( 5 ). Thus, improved access to care for underserved populations could dramatically affect cancer incidence rates and outcomes.…”

Racial/ethnic disparities for leukemias in Puerto Rico and the United States of America, 2015–2019

“…Conversely, NHW adults with CML had the worst prognosis compared with NHB, USH, and NHAPI [ 7 ]. In addition, NHW had higher incidence rates for CLL than NHB, USH, and NHAPI [ 12 ].…”