Black women more likely to die from breast cancer
African American women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.
Although black women are less likely than their white counterparts to develop breast cancer, they are more likely to die from it. African
American women are also more likely to see their doctor when the disease is at an advanced stage. Unfortunately their cancers
are usually more aggressive and are less likely to have estrogen receptors. When estrogen binds to tumors that have estrogen receptors it promotes the growth of the tumor. A group of drugs known as Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) block the action of estrogen on the cancer and so are used in treatment of breast cancer. In the absence of estrogen receptors on the tumor, this treatment option is not available.
On the other hand there are several other factors apart from the type of tumor that account for the difference in mortality:
- African American women are less likely to have mammograms
- Certain socioeconomic factors predispose to more deaths in black women
- Differences in diet
- They are more likely to be overweight or obese
- They tend to have more children
- They tend to have a greater delay in receiving appropriate treatment after diagnosis
- There may be some genetic differences that account for the disparity
These findings emphasize the need for women, especially African Americans to have mammograms at regular intervals to screen for breast cancer. The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the easier it is to cure.
