NAACP Strongly Calls for the Declaration of Cancer in the Black Community as a Public Health Crisis

WHEREAS, In 2020, there were 47.9 million Americans who identified as Black or African American, accounting for 14.4% of the total United States (US) population and the third largest racial/ethnic group following white and Hispanic; and 

WHEREAS, According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Black and African American people have higher rates of getting and dying from many kinds of cancer:

• Black people have the highest death rate for cancer overall
• Black people have a lower overall 5-year cancer survival rate than white people
• Black people are more likely than white people to be diagnosed with female breast, lung, and colorectal cancers at a late stage

WHEREAS, The CDC asserts many cancers can be prevented by eliminating tobacco smoke, keeping a healthy weight, eating a diet high in fiber and nutritious foods, staying physically active, drinking little or no alcohol, and getting the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccination on time can lower the risk of getting cancer; and

WHEREAS, The public health literature affirms that screening tests can prevent some cancers or find them early, when treatment works best; and 

WHEREAS, Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Black women, Black women have a 4% lower incidence rate of breast cancer than white women but a 40% higher breast cancer death rate according to the American Cancer Society; As reported in a 2021 study published in Cancer Medicine, Black women are almost three times more likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Women with TNBC generally have poorer outcomes because of few effective treatments and Black women are about 30% more likely to die from these tumors than white women, partly because of lesser rates of surgery and chemotherapy; and 

WHEREAS, breast cancer in men is rare, American Cancer Society researchers found in a recent study that Black men have a 52% higher breast cancer incidence rate than white men, and specifically, have two times higher incidence rates of TNBC; and 

WHEREAS, Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Black men, and the secondleading cause in Black women, both Black men and women are less likely than white men and women to be diagnosed at an early stage before the cancer has spread and treatment is more likely to be curative, and therefore have lower survival rates, according to the American Lung Association; and 

WHEREAS, Colorectal cancer is among the top leading causes of cancer and cancer related death in both men and women in the U.S., it disproportionately affects the Black community, where the rates are the highest of any racial/ethnic group in the U.S.; Blacks/AAs are about 20% more likely to get colorectal cancer and about 40% more likely to die from it than most other groups according to the American Cancer Society; and 

WHEREAS, The public health literature shows that Black men have a 1 in 6 chance of developing prostate cancer in their lifetime; specifically, Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.1 times more likely to die from it than white men; and 

WHEREAS, The Biden Administration launched the Cancer Moonshot Initiative with two clear goals: 1) To prevent more than 4 million cancer deaths by 2047 and 2) to improve the experience of people who are touched by cancer, the federal government must take accountable action steps to advance cancer health equity in the Black community, specifically, and to eliminate cancer health disparities by race and ethnicity or Black people will continue to experience dramatic loss of life and morbidity.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the National Association For the Advancement of Colored People calls upon local, state and federal authorities to declare cancer in the Black/African American community as a public health crisis, and to explore meaningful ways and measures to advance cancer health equity, reduce cancer risks and exposures, and lower cancer incidence and prevalence rates in the Black community by: advocating for efforts that promote health equity, prevent cancer, promote early detection and treatment; enhance supportive care and survivorship programs; eliminate out-of-pocket costs for screenings; and share power with the Black community to establish models such as the ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CANCER THROUGH UNDOING RACISM (ACCURE) that utilize multi-level approaches to reduce disparities in cancer treatment and outcomes and to ensure that the diverse and complex needs of the Black community are comprehensively met. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP strongly calls attention to the urgency of this matter and advocates for policies, practices, and procedures at the national, state, and local levels that reduce cancer rates and health disparities. 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP will work collectively across all levels of the Association to advocate for policies that promote cancer health equity and reduce cancer-related health disparities, including convening on cancer/health equity and dissemination of systems level best practices and policy priorities for cancer prevention, early detection and diagnosis, treatment and management, and supportive care. All units are strongly encouraged to work with their local health systems and partners to address local disparities.