Researchers said Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, despite the fact that they are less likely to get the disease.
According to the American Cancer Society, almost 200,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. Of those, 19,000 will be Black women. That means 6,000 will likely die.
Even Gov. Rod Blagojevich has recognized the need for the state to do more to help women battle cancer. So, in September he expanded the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program to include all uninsured women in the state.
But despite the number of women who die each year from breast cancer, William Grandishar, MD, professor of medicine in Medical Oncology, Focus in Breast Cancer at Northwestern University, said cancer deaths among women have decreased over the last few years.
"I think we are making great strides in the improvement of treating breast cancer and I am confident that it has and will continue to make a difference among all races especially Black women," Grandishar said.
While cancer takes a heavy toll on all Americans, research shows that Black women are at greater risk than white women of developing or dying from a handful of cancers, including those of the breast, colon/rectum, lungs, and cervix.
On the other hand, data from the National Cancer Institute shows that Black women are less likely than white women to be diagnosed with other cancers that can be harder to detect, grow more rapidly and defy treatment, such as ovarian cancer, melanoma, and leukemia.
Cancer experts said these are four of the most common cancers among Black women. They also provided information on preventive measures Black women can take:
Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among Black women and by far the most common cancer among all women Black or white. The incidence of breast cancer is lower among Black women, yet this group has a higher rate of breast cancer deaths - possibly because cancers tend to be detected at a later stage in Blacks than whites.
Consequently, Black women are less likely to survive when cancer strikes: Their five-year survival rate is 71 percent, compared with 87 percent for white women. The survival rate for Black women jumps to 89 percent if the cancer is diagnosed before it has spread. Yet 44 percent of newly diagnosed breast cancers found in Black women have spread to areas beyond the breast compared with 35 percent for white women.
But many cancer professionals said breast self-exam and mammography is critical to women noticing signs at an early stage.
Charles J. McDonald, MD, past president of the ACS, said Black women should undergo their first mammograms at age 30, a full 10 years before the recommended age for white women.
The National Medical Association, a national organization for Black physicians, also supports early screening. Breast self-exam should begin as soon as a girl menstruates, health experts said.
"Black women might also consider a low-fat diet and regular exercise, both of which have been shown in studies to lower a woman's risk of breast cancer, decrease heart disease, and improve overall well-being," adds McDonald
Colorectal cancer is a case of good news, bad news: The drop in deaths from colorectal cancers since the early 1990s is the secondbiggest reason for the overall decline in cancer deaths among women.
Yet Black women continue to be at greater risk for this disease, with a reported 46.7 cases per 100,000 women for the period from 1987 to 1991, compared with a rate of 39.9 among white women.
Lung cancer is the third most common cancer among Black females. It is also one of the most preventable; tobacco smoking is the principal culprit.
Unfortunately, lung cancer deaths among black women may grow, given that smoking rates among African American teenagers have increased over the past 10 years, according to McDonald.
Cervical cancer is one cancer that "we're well on the way, in this country, of conquering," said McDonald.
[Author Affiliation]
by Wendell Hutson
Defender Contributing Writer
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