New study shows breast cancer disparities between racial groups
Dr. Moran |
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A new study led by a Backus physician indicates African American women get breast cancer younger than Caucasian women and the cancer is more aggressive.
The landmark study underscores the need for further research into the biological and genetic differences in breast cancers in African-American women, as well as the importance of developing strategies to optimize treatment outcomes.
"We hope this study will increase awareness of the aggressive nature of breast cancer in African American women and that patients and physicians alike will help to reduce the gap in the disparities between the two populations," said Meena S. Moran, MD, Medical Director of Radiation Therapy at Backus and Associate Professor at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Dr. Moran, who presented the findings at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in October, is the lead author and one of five breast cancer researchers who conducted the study. The others are Qifeng Yang, MD, PhD; David Tuck, MD; Lyndsay Harris, MD; and Bruce Haffty, MD.
This is the largest study to evaluate outcomes of African American patients versus Caucasian patients with early stage breast cancer who underwent surgery to conserve their breast followed by radiation therapy. The authors found that African American patients present at a younger age at diagnosis, with higher stages of disease, and with more aggressive features on their tumors. The study adds to growing evidence of disparities between the racial groups, including the American Cancer Society 2007 Cancer Statistics, which reports that five-year survival for African American women is 77%, compared to 90% for Caucasians. Dr. Moran said there are ways for clinicians and patients to improve the situation by:
- Bolstering early detection and screening programs.
- Improving access to care.
- Educating patients about the importance of compliance with chemotherapy and radiation.
- Making lifestyle changes such as diet and weight loss to reduce risk factors.
- Asking African American women to participate in further studies to better understand the role ethnicity plays in breast cancer.
Dr. Moran added that although the study confirms what other research has reported, she was surprised by a statistically significant difference in breast relapse rates in African American women after breast conservation treatment - 17% compared to 13%.
This means that for African American women undergoing lumpectomy and radiation therapy, clinicians should carefully consider factors that affect relapse rates, such as:
- Making sure the tumor is completely removed with normal tissue around it all.
- Delivering an adequate amount of radiation to the tumor area after radiation treatment of the entire breast.
- And optimizing coverage of the entire breast and nodes with radiation, if clinically indicated.