City residents face enhanced cancer rates

Because of smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise, experts say Baltimoreans are subjected to higher incidents of cancer than other Marylanders

By Tierra Stone

Staff Writer / The Spokesman

Published on: April 2, 2026

Oncologist Dr. Otis Brawley says Baltimoreans are at higher risks for cancer than other Maryland residents (Los Angeles Times)

Though it is only the fifth-largest Maryland jurisdiction by population, for many, Baltimore City is the cultural trend-setter for the state.

The city also sets the pace in another way that won’t show up on chamber of commerce brochures: cancer death rates.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s state cancer profiles, Baltimore has one of the highest cancer death rates in Maryland.

“Baltimore City is one of the three worst in terms of cancer outcomes,” said Dr. Otis Brawley, professor of oncology and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University.

During the 2026-27 academic year, The Spokesman will examine the effects of cancer on the Morgan community from students to faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni – for its Black Health Matters: Cancer on Campus series.

Baltimoreans face different cancer outcomes depending on where they live, and experts say that this can influence their risk more than genetics. Many contributing factors can lead to a cancer diagnosis, such as poor diet, and lack of exercise.

However, in Baltimore City, smoking is significantly higher than in other counties within the state. For instance, Brawley, the former chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society, said 30% of adults in the city smoke cigarettes, while only 4% percent of adults in Montgomery County – Maryland’s most populous jurisdiction – smoke.

Some residents face an ever-harder burden depending on their neighborhood.

“Zip code correlates so well with income,” said Brawley.

The Baltimore City Health Department identifies multiple factors contributing to disparities, including access to care, environmental conditions such as air and water quality, exposure to carcinogens, and systemic issues like institutional racism and provider bias.

Brawley added that education levels are one of the strongest predictors of cancer death.

“The death rate for college-educated women in the United States is 59 per 100,000 per year. The death rate for high school graduates and high school dropouts is 119 per 100,000 per year,” he said.

Brawley added that education levels are one of the strongest predictors of cancer death.

“The death rate for college-educated women in the United States is 59 per 100,000 per year. The death rate for high school graduates and high school dropouts is 119 per 100,000 per year,” he said.

According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, residents who live in predominantly Black neighborhoods and are of low income are at higher risk of getting cancer from air-borne toxins.

“I am certain that the disparity in health care and in well-being wellness, that is endemic to the city, applies here as well,” said Del. Samuel Rosenberg (D-41^st), who represents West Baltimore in the House of Delegates.

Even when patients have scheduled their appointments, a lack of funding for these programs can create additional problems for residents.

“The University of Maryland screening program for uninsured residents runs out of funding six to eight months into the fiscal year,” said Brawley.

He added: “People who come to them in March, April, May, June, and say, ‘Can I get colon cancer screening?’ They’re told to come back in July.”

Rosenberg, who chairs the Health Occupations Subcommittee in Annapolis said early intervention is critical, especially as cancer rates rise among young adults.

“The emergency room should not be the first time you deal with what you think might be cancer or any other health problem,” he said.

Despite these challenges, Brawley emphasized that improving health care can change outcomes.

He said, “If you give people high-quality health care, they can start not dying.”

If you would like to share a cancer-related story, whether it’s yours or someone else’s, you know, email us at bhm@themsuspokesman.com