Race and Cancer

Our bodies vary greatly person to person. From the color of our skin to the color of our eyes. These differences that make us unique from other individuals happens because of the gene expression that occurs in our body. What is interesting enough is race can greatly impact the percentage of an individual getting a certain type of cancer. White individuals are more susceptible to getting melanoma than black people. With a 1 in 33 chance, whereas African Americans have a 1 in 1000 chance in getting Melanoma.

An individual can attain cancer through a genetic standpoint. Our body expresses different genes through gene expression and gene regulation. In this process different genes are being coded and copied, and in some instances cancer genes can get coded, specific to an individual's race and historical upbringing. Not only that but there are various therapy reactions for different races due to the gene differences. An example of various reactions based on race is African Americans are 80% more likely to have a peanut allergy than Caucassians. The main cause for African Americans having a lower rate of attaining Melanoma is that they have more melanin which helps protect them from the UV radiation from the sun. Whereas people with lighter skin have less melanin in their bodies from the sun attraction causing them to be more prone to getting melanoma.

Not only can genetics impact whether a person is more prone to getting cancer, it’s also commonly found through a social standpoint. This is due to different religions and their traditions. Many places around the world eat different things which can either cause cancer to be more prone as well as less prone to an individual. As well as personal habits and poor communities can raise chances of getting cancer. People who smoke or vape have higher chances of getting lung cancer than individuals who don't do either of those things. Families living in low income communities have poor and limited access to healthcare causing cancer to be a bigger issue as they don’t have the resources to help treat it. Not only that but racism plays a bigger impact on an individual as people who are lighter in color are being given more priority in hospitals than people of color.  

All in all it can be seen the impact race plays on an individual's chances of getting a certain type of cancer. Not only can an individual get cancer genetically but by the way they were raised and the choices that individual makes which can play a big role on the health of their body.

Sources:

https://www.practicefusion.com/blog/analyzing-race-ethnicitys-role-allergies-across-u-s/#:~:text=We%20also%20found%20that%20African,between%20race%20and%20certain%20allergies.

https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/childhood-cancer/symptoms-and-signs

https://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-modules/ph/pj709_cancer/PH709_Cancer2.html

https://healthmatch.io/blog/race-and-ethnicity-how-it-affects-your-risk-of-cancer