Skip to main content


Printer-friendly version

What is Cancer?

Promotora training workersAlmost 40 percent of all Americans will develop cancer at one point in their lives. Underserved populations have a greater risk of developing certain cancers than the overall population. Additionally, their diagnoses often come later, which can affect survival outcomes. Many factors influence the development of cancer in migrant and other underserved populations, including genetics, local environmental risk factors, cultural perspectives and practices, occupational exposure, access to health services, and other social determinants of health.  As with many other health concerns, a wide lens to capture the full range of risk factors, including sociocultural and socioeconomic components, is essential for clinicians to best determine a migrant patient’s cancer risk.