Black Women Are More Likely To Die Of Breast Cancer Even If When Treatable, Here’s Why

Previous studies found that Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer

Black women have a higher risk of dying from breast cancer than white women no matter what stage, even if it’s treatable, new research finds.

The study, published by the Journal of Clinical Oncology, found the increased survival risk for Black women ranges between 17% to 50%, depending on the type of breast cancer.

Researchers examined data from 18 studies published between 2009 and 2022, analyzing 228,885 breast cancer cases. According to the research, 34,262 of the women identified as Black.

“These findings underscore a stark reality in our healthcare system: Black women are facing higher risks of death from breast cancer compared to their white counterparts across all types of the disease. This disparity isn’t just about biology,” said co-author Paulette Chandler in a news release. Chandler is the associate epidemiologist in the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Previous studies found that Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, and up until now, researchers weren’t sure if the disparity existed across all types of cancer, UPI reports.

The publication notes that researchers found the disparity is partially attributed to systematic racism, such as social and economic inequality, delays in diagnosis, and inadequate access to timely cancer treatment.

“Our findings demonstrate that multiple, interacting factors contribute to disparities in breast cancer survival between Black and white women,” said Senior Researcher Erica Warner, a cancer epidemiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, in a hospital news release.

“To achieve equity, intervention is necessary at multiple levels — from community to healthcare systems and individual healthcare providers, to patients themselves learning about their disease and what their expectations should be for their care.”

A recent study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that Black women should begin screening for breast cancer at an earlier age than other racial and ethnic groups. While the age for most women is around 50, Black women should get screened at 42 and, in some cases, earlier if there are other risk factors such as personal history of diabetes or family history.