( CNN ) -- Cancer has surpassed heart disease to become the leading cause of death among Hispanics in the United States , according to an American Cancer Society report released Monday . Every three years since 2000 , scientists at the cancer society have published Cancer Facts and Figures for Hispanics/Latinos . Such studies provide data that help develop an efficient science-based cancer control plan . Hispanics are the fastest growing demographic group in the United States . Approximately 16.3 % of America 's population ( 50.5 million out of 310 million people ) is Hispanic . It is estimated that 112,800 people of Hispanic ethnicity will be diagnosed with cancer and 33,200 will die of the disease in 2012 . The finding is due in part to the younger age distribution of Hispanics . Approximately one in 10 Hispanics is age 55 or over , compared to one in three non-Hispanics . Among non-Hispanic whites and African-Americans , heart disease remains the leading cause of death , according to Monday 's American Cancer Society report , the fifth . While cancer is the most common cause of death for all three populations under the age of 85 , there are fewer Hispanics in the United States over the age of 85 , where heart disease is predominant . Overall cancer incidence and mortality rates are lower in Hispanics than in the non-Hispanic U.S. population , meaning Hispanics have a lower risk of cancer diagnosis and death . Hispanics do have higher diagnosis and death rates from cancers of the stomach , liver , cervix and gallbladder . There are a number of Hispanic subpopulations , each with a different ethnicity and culture . A weakness in the study of Hispanic cancer rates is the fact that much of the available U.S. data is an aggregate , masking important differences between Hispanic subpopulations according to country of origin . As better data for subpopulations are available , more efficient targeted prevention efforts might be possible . For example , it is known that Mexicans in the United States tend to have lower cancer rates than Puerto Ricans . On the other hand , Cubans in America tend to have higher cancer rates than Puerto Ricans . This is heavily driven by the fact that Cubans and Puerto Ricans have higher smoking rates than Mexicans . 'Selena ' co-star Lupe Ontiveros dies at 69 . Intensive culturally sensitive anti-smoking efforts in Cuban and Puerto Rican communities could have a substantial impact . It is estimated that 63 % of Hispanics in the United States are Mexican , 9.2 % are Puerto Rican , 3.5 % are Cuban and 2.8 % are Dominican . The cancer death rate in Hispanics has been declining since 2000 , one of the first years in which accurate Hispanic numbers were available . Cancer death rates for all Americans have been decreasing since 1991 . Since 2000 , the cancer incidence rate ( risk of cancer diagnosis ) declined by 1.75 % per year among men and 0.3 % per year among women . This compares with declines of 1 % and .02 % among non-Hispanic men and women , respectively . The cancer mortality rate ( risk of cancer death ) among Hispanics has also declined by 2.3 % per year in men and 1.4 % per year in women . This compares with declines of 1.5 % and 1.3 % among non-Hispanic men and women , respectively . The research indicates that cancer deaths can be prevented and lives saved among Hispanics if we increase use of proven cancer screening tests ; make the hepatitis B and human papilloma virus ( HPV ) vaccine more widely available ; and reduce tobacco use , alcohol consumption and obesity rates . Indeed , this message could be life-saving for all Americans . The triad of poor nutrition , lack of physical activity and obesity is the second leading cause of cancer in the United States , surpassed only by tobacco use . This triad is an especially significant problem among Hispanic women . Current data indicate that among Hispanics , 43 % of women and 34 % of men are obese . This compares with 33 % of all women in the United States and 32 % of all men . Stress , depression may affect cancer survival .
Hispanic are the fastest - growing demographic group in the United States . There are important differences among Hispanic subpopulations . More smoking , less alcohol use and lower obesity rates can help reduce Hispanic deaths .