More African Americans are living with cancer

The Louisiana Weekly Staff Reports

The number of U.S. cancer survivors has increased to nearly 12 million, according to a recent report from the National Cancer Institute.

Early detection, better treatment, and an aging population are thought to be the main reasons for the increase.

As recently as 1971, just 3 million Americans were living with cancer. By 2001, that number had more than tripled, to nearly 10 million. The number increased to 11.7 million in 2007, the most recent figures available, according to the Institute’s report in March.

Nationally, about 60.7 percent of African Americans are living at least five years after they were diagnosed with cancer.

According to the report, breast, prostate and colorectal were the most common types of cancer among survivors.

Locally, 366 per 100,000 African Americans living in New Orleans were diagnosed with one of those three forms of cancer each year from 2003-2007. Prostate cancer was the most common.

As more people survive cancer, more attention is needed to help the survivors cope with the disease, experts said.

Medical treatments for survivors are just part of the picture. Family and friends are also finding new ways to support people close to them who are living with a disease that poses many challenges. More than 69 percent of adults have a family member who had cancer, according to the Insti­tute’s survey.

“For many cancer survivors and those around them, the effect of cancer does not end with the last treatment,” said Dr. Julia H. Rowland, director of the National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Survivorship. “Research has allowed us to better understand some of the long-term health risks and quality of life concerns.”

Those risks can range from fatigue to infertility to more serious health problems, depending on the type of cancer and treatment.

This story originally published in the April 25, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.