September Spotlight: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and other Cancer Awareness Highlights
September 18, 2014, by CRCHD Staff
In September, CRCHD joins the rest of the nation in recognizing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month, and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death among children and adolescents. African American children have the lowest 5-year survival rates compared to all other population groups.
- Grantee Spotlight: Kimberly Payne, Ph.D. - Investigating Leukemia Health Disparities in Hispanic and Native American Children
Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects blood cells and bone marrow and lymphoma affects the white blood cells and immune system. One person is diagnosed with blood cancer in the U.S. every four minutes, and leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children.
Prostate cancer forms in tissues of the prostate gland and usually occurs in older men. African American men have significantly higher death rates from prostate cancer than any other racial/ethnic group. For example, the death rate from prostate cancer is approximately 2.4 times higher in African American men than in white men. NIH -supported researchers are investigating a variety of genetic and other factors that may contribute to the higher incidence and death rates observed among African American men.