Cancer has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death among Hispanic Americans, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.
In a new study published recently in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the society also report that both cancer and heart disease deaths are declining amongst Hispanics.
According to the ACS, there were 29,935 cancer deaths and 29,611 heart disease death among Hispanics in 2009. Lead researcher Rebecca Siegel said that the decreased heart disease deaths may be due to available treatment.
"Death rates of heart disease are declining faster because there are more interventions available for heart disease," said Siegel. "It's positive that rates of heart disease and cancer-related deaths are decreasing, but we can do more to improve access to health care for these folks and decrease rates further."
The ACS predicts there will be 33,200 deaths from cancer among Hispanics in 2012.
by RTT Staff Writer
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