Cancer in south Louisiana. Part III: Cancers of the breast and the reproductive system.
Cancers of the breast and reproductive system are less common in South Louisiana than other parts of the nation. The only exception is invasive cervical cancer. Incidence rates for breast cancer in South Louisiana women are 20% lower than the SEER combined rates, and rates for cancer of the uterine corpus and the ovary among white women are 43% and 32% lower respectively than the SEER averages. South Louisiana men also have risks 14% (whites) and 30% (blacks) less than the national of developing prostatic cancer. These significantly low rates are observed for all regions in South Louisiana. The reasons for the low rates are not clearly understood. Possible explanations include: less frequent use of cancer screening tests, high prevalence of hysterectomy, lower risk exposures, and host/genetic factors. The low incidence rates for these cancers are not accompanied by more favorable mortality outcomes, suggesting a poorer survival among Louisiana cancer patients partially due to late stage disease at the time of diagnosis and treatment. Programs to increase the accessibility of cancer screening tests and improve early detection are greatly needed.
Chen
V W
VW
Dept of Pathology, LSU Medical Center, New Orleans 70112.
Groves
F D
FD
Fontham
E T
ET
Craig
J F
JF
Ranier
A S
AS
Culley
P
P
Rainey
J M
JM
Correa
P
P
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors