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Advances in early breast cancer detection through widespread adop-tion of screening mammography, along with continuing improvement in care and treatment, have substan-tially reduced breast cancer mortali-ty in the United States.
This progress, however, remains inequitably distributed across patient populations. Stark disparities in breast cancer screening and survival rates exist among ethnic and racial minority women, stemming from a complex interplay of patient, provid-er, and health system-related factors.
Without a concerted effort to make the elimination of such disparities a priority of healthcare and public poli-cy leaders, inequities in breast cancer care are destined to persist, to the det-riment of providers and patients alike.
Breast Cancer Disparities by the Numbers
Breast cancer is the most com-mon cancer in women and the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The incidence of breast cancer has been increasing by about 0.5% each year1; the American Cancer Society esti-mates that more than 280,000 new cases will be diagnosed and more than 40,000 people will die of the disease in 2022.1
Ethnic and racial minority women make up the majority of these women. Indeed, it is esti-mated that over 36,000 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in Black women in 2022, nearly 7000 of whom will succumb to the disease.2 Despite the slightly higher incidence of breast cancer among White women, Black women have a 40% higher mortality rate.1,3 Among US Hispanic women, meanwhile, breast cancer is the most common-ly diagnosed and the leading cause of cancer death, accounting for more than 14% of cancer deaths.4 Survival rates among Black and Hispanic women are also poor, as most are diagnosed at advanced stages of cancer and with more aggressive disease.
Breast Cancer Screening Rates: Racial, Sexual, Ethnic, and Disabled Populations
Black women are less frequently screened for breast cancer compared to White women and are also less likely to benefit from screening and genetic services.5 The prevalence of hereditary breast cancer genetic mutations is higher in Black women than in White women, although lower than in women of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. Black women are less likely to be referred for genetic counseling and testing than White women.6'7
The American College of Radiolo-gy (ACR) and Society of Breast Imag-ing (SBI) recommend that all women be assessed for breast...