Stomach Cancer in the U.S. Hispanic Population

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As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are exploring common health conditions and inequities in the U.S. Hispanic population. This blog examines the prevalence of stomach cancer within this group. 

Stomach cancer makes up about 1.5% of all new cancer cases in the U.S. and about 1.7% of all cancer deaths. The disease hits certain populations harder than others—it is more common in Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asian/Pacific Islanders.

Risk factors

According to the National Cancer Institute, some risk factors for stomach cancer (also known as gastric cancer) include:

  • pylori infection
  • Chronic atrophic gastritis
  • Atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia
  • Epstein-Barr virus infection
  • Pernicious anemia
  • Obesity
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease
  • Diet low in fruits and vegetables
  • Tobacco use
  • Certain environmental and occupational exposures
Statistics
  • The rate of stomach cancer in Hispanic men is 60% higher than in white men and more than 50% higher in Hispanic women than in white women.
  • Hispanics also have a higher rate of getting stomach cancer before age 50 as compared to white people.
  • A 2023 study from the University of California- Davis found that Hispanics are also twice as likely to die from stomach cancer than non-Hispanic whites.
  • The study also found a particular molecular subtype in gastric tumors of Hispanic patients that had an especially poor prognosis.
  • In addition, Hispanics tend to be diagnosed with stomach cancer at a later stage than other groups and tend to have more complications during treatment.

Contributing Factors

A combination of factors contributes to why Hispanics have a higher rate of this kind of cancer:

  • Higher prevalence of H. pylori infection, a common stomach infection, in the Hispanic population than other populations. When H. pylori goes untreated, it can cause chronic inflammation and atrophic gastritis, which could then lead to gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM). GIM is when there is a cellular change in stomach tissue, and it is a precursor to stomach cancer. GIM is more common in Hispanics than in the white population.
  • Social determinants of health (SDOH) such food, housing, healthcare, and income. Hispanics are nearly three times as likely not to have health insurance than white people. Hispanics also have the lowest percentage of paid sick leave and one of the lowest median incomes among all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. Hispanic adults with less proficiency in English are found to use healthcare services less frequently than Hispanic adults with more English proficiency.  
Final thoughts

Culturally supportive care is key in both diagnosing and treating stomach cancer in the Hispanic population:

  • Inclusive environment with cultural competency training
  • Offering language services and support
  • Patient engagement

These actions help improve patient care and outcomes. 

References
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