Excessive cancer rates among blacks in Louisiana: an opportunity for physician intervention.

Excessive cancer rates among blacks in Louisiana are well-documented. Both male and female blacks have higher overall cancer incidence and mortality rates than their white counterparts. Cancers that are excessive in males include lung, esophagus, larynx, stomach, pancreas, liver, multiple myeloma, and prostate. In black females, higher rates are observed for cancers of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, multiple myeloma, cervix, and breast (mortality only). The excess of lung cancer among black men is not observed in women. These cancer sites share similar risk factors and are associated mostly with tobacco or diet. Physicians in Louisiana can play an important role in cancer intervention by informing their black patients about the magnitude of the cancer problem in blacks, increased cancer risk associated with tobacco and excessive alcohol use, importance of a balanced nutritious diet, cancer signs and symptoms, and the importance of early detection.