A cancer study just released today deserves a careful look here in the San Joaquin Valley.

The study, published in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research found overall cancer risk increases 40% or more for Hispanics who live in the United States versus those living in their home countries.

A closer look, however, shows it's dangerous to lump "Hispanics" into one large group.

Those Hispanics from Mexico, it turns out, have the lowest cancer risk and those from Puerto Rico have the highest. Dig even deeper, and the results for the people from Mexico are based largely on new immigrants and young ones living in Florida. The results could look different for Hispanics of Mexican descent living in the United States for years and for those from different generations.

Lead researcher Dr. Paulo S. Pinheiro, with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, says the paper raises questions that need more study. "This paper should be a push for more research in this unique population," he said.