BUFFALO, N.Y., March 15 (UPI) -- Blacks say they are at less risk of getting cancer -- even though they have the highest cancer incidence and mortality of all groups, U.S. researchers said.

The University at Buffalo study is based on the responses of 5,581 adults who completed the 2007 Health Information Trends Survey conducted by the National Cancer Institute.

Respondents were asked how likely they thought it was that they would develop cancer in the future -- to determine their perceived risk. They answered questions on their family's history of cancer, their history of cigarette smoking, how they rated their current health and their beliefs about the cancer.

Blacks -- as well as Hispanics and Asians -- were less likely to report cancer in the family, which was associated with thinking they had a lower risk of developing the disease than did whites.

"Believing that we could develop cancer in our lifetime can motivate us to undergo tests, such as colonoscopy or mammogram to detect cancer early," Heather Orom, an assistant professor, said in a statement. "This knowledge also may motivate us to engage in behavior such as exercising and eating more fruits and vegetables that can reduce our chances of getting the disease."

The study appears in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.