Cancer Among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, 1999-2020

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are among the fastest-growing racial groups in the United States but remain underrepresented in cancer research, leading to gaps in understanding their cancer risks and outcomes. This study examines cancer mortality trends among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from 1999 to 2020 using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) data. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per 100,000 individuals and average annual percent change (AAPC) were analyzed with Joinpoint Regression. Overall cancer AAMR significantly declined from 188.68 (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 184.49-192.88) to 138.85 (95% CI, 136.9-140.8) per 100,000 individuals, with an AAPC of -1.44 (95% CI, -1.53, -1.34). Lung cancer (21.94%), colon cancer (7.40%), and pancreatic cancer (7.09%) were the leading causes of cancer death. Men had higher AAMR than women (188.75 [95% CI, 187.78-189.72] vs. 136.01 [95% CI, 135.31-136.71] per 100,000 individuals). The highest AAMR were observed in the West (172.95 [95% CI, 172.16-173.74] per 100,000 individuals) and rural areas (175.34 [95% CI, 172.00-178.68] per 100,000 individuals). Despite declining mortality, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders experienced slower reductions in mortality compared to other racial groups, with disparities persisting across sex, geography, and urbanization. Targeted prevention efforts, improved screening, and culturally tailored interventions are essential to address these gaps and improve outcomes.