Is any particular Ethnic Group More at Risk for Developing Breast Cancer?
I recently interviewed Ruthie Bolton (formerly of the Sacramento Monarchs) who asked me if African American women had a higher risk of developing breast cancer. This is an interesting and often
misunderstood topic. First of all, irregardless of ethnicity all women over 40 should have annual screening mammography. However, when one looks at breast cancer incidence as published by the American Cancer Society, some surprising data presents itself. ACS surveillance review published in 2007 showed that breast cancer incidence was highest in Caucasian women (132 per 100,000), followed by African American women (118 per 100,000), Hispanic women (89.3 per 100,000), Asian American
women (89 per100,000) and finally American Indian women (69 per 100,000).
However, female death rates related to breast cancer in African American women (34 per 100,000) were highest amongst all ethnic groups followed by Caucasians (25 per 100,000). Additionally, African American women are less likely than Caucasian women to survive 5 years: 77% versus 90% respectively.
The reasons for this lower survival are diverse. Aggressive tumor characteristics appear to be more common in African American women. Additionally, presence of chronic illnesses, lower socio-economic status, and delayed access to medical care also contribute to this disparity. Again, this scenario should reinforce that early detection is the single most important tool to identify and thus treat breast cancer at its earliest stage. Access to services such as mammography should not compromise a woman’s opportunity to receive this important service.