-    Alcohol abuse and obesity are leading factors  ---  

-    High fatality rate: 5-year survival rate of only ten percent  ---  

Thirty-year-old Pedro Espinosa's chances of developing liver cancer are much higher than most Hispanic men might imagine. Born in the United States, Pedro falls into a category of men in California whose liver cancer rates have nearly doubled over the past two decades, according to a recent study.

Scientists at the Cancer Prevention Institute of California (CPIC) in Fremont have found that rates of liver cancer in US-born Hispanic men in California have increased by 87%, according to a recent 16-year span of statewide cancer registry data.  These men are at a significantly higher risk of liver cancer than California Hispanic men born outside of the United States.  Liver cancer risk is also higher among both Hispanic males and females in more ethnically isolated and lower income areas of the state.

Review of data also found that liver cancer rates in Alameda County in 2004-2008 were higher than the rates in California overall, as reported by CPIC for 1997-2004.

“The incidence rates for Hispanic males in Alameda County are about double of that in non-Hispanic whites, but similar to non-Hispanic blacks, and lower than Asians/Pacific Islanders,” said CPIC research scientist Ellen Chang, who led the study, which is the first to examine liver cancer rates by neighborhood acculturation level and socioeconomic status.

Both alcohol abuse and obesity are more common among U.S.-born Latino men than those born abroad, according to the California Health Interview Survey.

"California Health Interview Survey data show that levels of obesity and alcohol abuse are higher in US-born than foreign-born Hispanic men," said Chang. “The next steps are to find out what other liver cancer risk factors differ by birthplace, and then develop ways to target those factors especially in US-born Hispanic men to lower their risk of liver cancer.”

Overall, Chang said, the findings indicate that environment, behavior and lifestyle may be more important than genetics as predictors of liver cancer. Factors such as alcohol abuse, diabetes and Hepatitis C – a disease transmitted by needle use – can affect cancer rates, Chang said.

Many of the problems giving rise to liver cancer among Latino males, Chang said, can be addressed effectively. She said her study indicates that public health campaigns around substance abuse treatment, healthy eating and exercise could be effective if done in a culturally appropriate manner. Rates among Hispanic males are three times those in Hispanic females.  

The Cancer Prevention Institute of California (CPIC) works to prevent cancer and to reduce its burden where it cannot yet be prevented. For information on the liver cancer study, go to www.cpic.org/research_news.