American Cancer Society reports ‘elevated cancer burden’ for Black Americans

Black History Month highlights the plights and accomplishments of past Black Americans, however, the season also works as a time to monitor the present and think of the future. On Feb. 20, the American Cancer Society released their 2025 Cancer Statistics for African American and Black people, as more Black Americans think about their current health.

Survival rates for cancer overall are lower in Black people than white people in almost every type of cancer, with the largest gaps for cervical cancer, melanoma and endometrial cancer. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death among Black men and women, after heart disease.

Notably, the report found a 49% decrease in cancer mortality rates among Black men and a 33% decrease among Black women from 1991 to 2022. However, it also found that Black people still have an elevated cancer burden, with double the rate of death for myeloma, prostate, uterine and stomach cancers and a 40% to 50% increased risk for colorectal, cervical, breast and liver cancers.

“Overall declines in cancer mortality rates in Black people largely reflect behavioral changes, such as historical declines in cigarette smoking among Black teens, as well as advances in treatment and earlier detection for some cancers,” Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director of surveillance research at the American Cancer Society said in a news release. “Yet, this population persistently experiences a much higher mortality burden than other racial and ethnic groups for many cancers.”

Scientists have long discussed possible reasons for higher and more aggressive cancer rates for Black Americans than other racial and ethnic groups. According to Morehouse University School of Medicine, a 2024 study found that exposure to pollution over time was likely the reason for the more aggressive cancers Black Americans experience, instead of their often cited ancestry.

Using science from the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers gathered data on cancer incidence, survival, mortality, screening and risk factors for Black Americans. This year, Black Americans will experience 248,470 new cancer incidences, according to the report, and 73,240 additional cancer deaths.

“We must reverse course,” Siegel said in a news release.

According to the study, cancer mortality rates are 16% higher for Black men than white men, despite only 4% higher incidence. The mortality rate for Black women is 10% higher than white women, with a 9% higher incidence rate. Black women have a 38% higher likelihood of dying of breast cancer than white women, with a 5% lower likelihood of diagnosis.

Black men, on the other hand, have a 67% higher incidence rate of prostate cancer than white men, and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease.

“This report highlights the disparities the Black community has faced for decades. While the decline in cancer mortality rates is encouraging, the stark inequities in incidence and survival for many cancers underscore the urgent need for targeted research and interventions,” Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick, interim chief executive officer of the ACS and the ACS Cancer Action Network, said in a news release.

Incidence rates for uterine, or endometrial, cancer among Black women continue to increase by 2% each year. Last year, the ACS launched their Voices of Black women study to directly address cancer rates in this population and what is driving them. It will be the largest ever cohort study of cancer risk and outcomes for Black women in the U.S.

“This is a critical opportunity for the scientific, clinical, and policymaking community to come together to drive meaningful change,” Frederick said. “Together we must inform strategies to close these gaps, improve early detection, and ensure equitable access to lifesaving treatments for the Black community.”