By
The Associated Press
TUCSON, Ariz. - Arizona's cancer rate is lower than expected, mainly due to the state's large Hispanic population, the American Cancer Society said in its annual report.
As a group, the cancer rate among Hispanics is lower than that for other groups, though authorities don't know why, Dr. Timothy Flood of the Arizona Cancer Registry said.
"But we do know that Hispanic women have lower breast cancer rates, and that alone explains a large part of the difference," Flood said. "We also know they have lower smoking rates, and that's a major influence on who gets cancer."
However, despite the state's overall rate of lower tobacco use, half of Arizona's residents don't exercise at all, the society said. Arizona has the highest rate of overweight men in the country and most Arizonans don't eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables.
These habits could increase the chance that Arizonans will get cancer and die of it, the society said.
"Arizona does have some of the worst rates of risky behavioral patterns we've found in the entire nation," said Veronica Perez, regional manager for cancer control planning for the American Cancer Society. "Just why that is, we don't really know."
The society report says one-third of all U.S. cancer deaths this year will be linked to poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and other lifestyle factors.
The society recommends at least five servings of fruits or vegetables daily to cut cancer risk. The report shows that Arizonans rank last when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables - fewer than 10 percent do it, compared with 24 percent nationally in 1999.
"We have so much more access to fresh produce all year round in Arizona - you'd think we'd be more, not less, likely to eat it," said Cynthia Thomson, a University of Arizona nutritionist and assistant professor of public health.
The analysis of Arizona's cancer risk is part of the American Cancer Society's annual report on cancer in the United States.
The report predicts that out of slightly more than 5 million Arizonans, 21,300 will get some form of cancer this year, and 9,300 will die of it.
Of those, the report indicates 3,200 women will get breast cancer and 3,600 men will get prostate cancer. It also shows that lung cancer will kill 2,600 Arizonans this year; colon cancer 900; breast cancer 700; and prostate cancer 600.
