Pancreatic cancer tumors are the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, according to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 67,440 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2025. Risk factors vary between conditions one can control, like tobacco use, weight, and exposure to certain chemicals, and ones that are entirely out of the patient’s control, like age, sex, race, family history, and inherited genetic syndromes. Recent research from the journal Cancer Research Communications showed that molecular differences have been identified between Black and white pancreatic cancer patients, which can affect how they respond to cancer treatments.

Race as a risk factor for pancreatic cancer

Allison Rosenzweig, PhD, Director of Scientific Research & Communications at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), explains to BlackDoctor.org that “Black Americans have the highest incidence and death rates of pancreatic cancer compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Data also shows that Black Americans have lower rates of being offered surgery and being invited to participate in clinical trials. Potential biological differences in disease development and progression among racial and ethnic groups are poorly understood, and evidence suggests that social determinants of health play a role in the issues observed. More research is needed to better understand the biological, societal, and systemic barriers that need to be broken down to achieve health equity for all people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.”

Research shows that Black or African American patients experience high incidence and lower survival rates compared to other racial groups. Another study analyzing data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, which collects statistical cancer data across the U.S., found that the Black or African American (BAA) population exhibited a higher age-adjusted incidence rate of pancreatic cancer than white peers. The SEER data also revealed that Black patients had lower 5-year survival rates than white patients. The study also showed that the prevalence is more pronounced among females than males.

Potential contributing factors to the racial disparity

More research is needed to understand the exact reasons for the racial inconsistencies in the prevalence of pancreatic cancer tumors. Biological factors such as race-associated molecular differences may impact the way patients with this type of cancer respond to immunotherapies.