African Americans have the highest incidence of death for most cancers even though an overall decrease in mortality overall

About 168,900 new cancer cases and 65,540 cancer deaths are expected among African Americans in 2011. The most commonly diagnosed cancers among African American men are prostate (40% of all cancers), lung (15%), and colon and rectum (9%). Among African American women, the most common cancers are breast (34% of all cancers), lung (13%), and colon and rectum (11%). Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among African American women. An estimated 19,540 new cases of breast cancer occurred among African American women in 2009. The incidence rate of breast cancer however is 10% lower in African American women than in white women overall. Among women under 40 years though, the incidence is higher in African Americans than in whites. For African American men and women, cancers of the colon and rectum and pancreas are expected to rank third and fourth, respectively, as the leading sites for cancer deaths. According to the National Health Interview Survey, in 2008, almost half of African American adults reported no leisure-time physical activity compared to about one in three whites. African American women and teen girls have the highest rates of obesity in the United States. According to the most recent data (2007-2008) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, half of African American women and nearly 1 in 3 African American teen girls are obese. Obesity increases the risk of many cancers, including cancers of the breast (in postmenopausal women), colon, endometrium, kidney, and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.