What is Driving the High Rates of Liver Cancer Among Latinos?

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This blog was published as part of a collaboration between Salud America! and the Prevent Cancer Foundation in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Did you know that Latinos have a higher risk of liver cancer than the overall U.S. population?

In fact, 1 in 5 people with liver cancer in the United States are Latino. They also are often diagnosed at later stages and are more likely to die of liver cancer than other adult populations in the United States.

Latino men are 53% more likely to be diagnosed with liver cancer than men overall, and Latinas are 72% more likely to be diagnosed than Latina women overall, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.

“While liver cancer rates are decreasing or staying the same in other groups, they have been increasing in Hispanics/Latinos younger than age 50,” according to Amelie Ramirez, DrPH, MPH, director of Salud America! and associate director of Community Outreach and Engagement at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center.

What is driving Latinos’ liver cancer risk?

We are exploring how “non-medical drivers of health” (NMDoHs) and other factors may be behind the increased risk for liver cancer among Latinos.

What is Liver Cancer?

Liver cancer is cancer that begins in the cells of the liver. The liver has many important jobs in the body, such as helping with digestion, supporting healthy blood flow and breaking down needed nutrients.

Liver cancer can occur when abnormal cells in the liver grow at a faster rate than normal cells and form clumps of cells, which are also known as tumors.

The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which happens most often in people with chronic liver conditions, such as cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection.

How do the Non-Medical Drivers of Health Impact Liver Cancer Risk?

Non-medical drivers of health (NMDoH) are part of the reason Latinos are at increased risk of liver cancer.

NMDoH are the economic, environmental, and social factors of where people are born, work, learn, and live. They can deeply shape a person’s health outcomes.

Many Latino populations experience health gaps due to NMDoH, including lack of access to care, lack of health insurance, housing instability, transportation issues, insufficient income, and more.

“Things like not having a physician or insurance, not being able to pay a copay or not being able to take off time from work to come in for appointments; all of these things contribute to the delay of diagnosis,” Ramirez said.

What are Other Risk Factors for Liver Cancer?

In addition to NDMoH, you can also be at increased risk for liver cancer if you:

• Have hepatitis B or hepatitis C
• Drink alcohol to excess (this can lead to cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, which can lead to liver cancer)
• Use tobacco products
• Are overweight or medically classified as obese
• Have fatty liver disease
• Have Type 2 diabetes
• Are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals in the workplace

Some of these risk factors disproportionately affect Latinos.

For example, Latinos make up a large portion of the United States’ farm and agricultural workers, where they are more likely to be exposed to aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are  a family of cancer-causing toxins produced by certain fungi that are found on agricultural crops such as maize (corn), peanuts, cottonseed and tree nuts.

Latino adults are also 12% more likely than U.S. adults overall to be medically classified as obese, and 13% more likely to have diabetes.

Cultural issues can contribute as well.

“Our community still fears cancer. They don’t want to go see the doctor for fear of being told they might have cancer, so therefore, they’re delaying coming in for the appropriate screenings that they might need,” Ramirez said.

How Can You Lower Your Risk for Liver Cancer?

While there is no routine screening for liver cancer, you can protect yourself and your familia against hepatitis B and hepatic C viruses, the leading causes of liver cancer. You can be vaccinated to protect yourself against hepatitis B (this series should be given beginning at birth, but if you were never vaccinated, talk to your health care provider about getting vaccinated now).  You should be tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C at least once, and if you test positive for one of these viruses, you can be treated to prevent liver cancer.

You can also make personal changes to avoid tobacco, avoid or limit alcohol, maintain a healthy weight and practice safer sex.

Finally, you can find liver cancer information and bilingual resources on early detection in both English and Spanish at preventcancer.org.

How Can You Address NMDoH in Your Community?

You have the power to address NMDoH where you live. Start by downloading a Salud America! Health Report Card for your town.

Enter your county name and get auto-generated local data with interactive maps and comparative gauges on several health indicators. This can help you visualize and explore local issues in education, housing, transportation, food, health and more.

See how your county stacks up compared to the rest of your state and the country.

Then, email your Health Report Card to local leaders to raise awareness, include the data in a presentation or grant proposal, or share it on social media to drive healthy change in your community.

It’s important to get vaccinated, reduce your risk and talk with your health care provider about your health history because Early Detection = Better Outcomes®.