What Is Cancer

What Is Cancer—and How Does It Affect the Latinx Community?

Cancer isn’t just one disease—it’s a group of diseases where abnormal cells grow out of control and crowd out healthy cells. It can happen anywhere in the body and has many different forms: breast, lung, prostate, colon, skin, cervical—you name it.

According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanics in the U.S., surpassing heart disease. 

Here are a few key facts:

• Latinas are more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and at later stages, despite it being one of the most preventable cancers.
• Colorectal cancer rates are rising among younger Latinos, especially men.
• Liver and stomach cancers occur more often in Latinx populations than in non-Hispanic white communities.
• Latinx individuals are less likely to get regular screenings like mammograms, colonoscopies, and Pap smears.
  

Why the gap? It’s complex: limited access to insurance, language barriers, fear of diagnosis, cultural stigma, and misinformation all play a role.