More must be done to tackle smoking and obesity rates among people from ethnic minority groups to prevent a surge in preventable cancer cases, a charity has warned. Cancer Research UK (CRUK) said evidence has suggested the proportion of smokers and obesity rates could increase among people from black, Asian or mixed ethnic backgrounds.
If this happens, then there could be a rise in cancers linked to lifestyle factors. CRUK said that this, combined with reports that people from ethnic minority backgrounds have worse experiences of cancer care and have lower survival rates for some cancer types, is “worrying”.
The comments come after a new report highlighted how rates of cancer in England vary between people from different ethnic backgrounds. Findings from the report, published in the British Journal of Cancer, include:
