DETROIT – A new report finds the number of women dying from breast cancer has dropped substantially over the past 35 years, but these gains haven’t been felt by all women.
Breast cancer, like other cancers, is not one disease. There are important differences in any person’s cancer that can make the approach to treatment unique. And just like their cancers are different, there are differences in the outcomes of the more than 310,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
A new American Cancer Society report reveals that overall breast cancer rates have plummeted 44% in the past 35 years.
“Which is really a dramatic decrease and we think that’s, you know, over 500,000 breast cancer deaths have been averted, which is really spectacular,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer with the American Cancer Society
Researchers also discovered an upward trend in breast cancer incidence. The steepest increase was discovered in women younger than 50, rising by 1% each year between 2012 and 2021. Asian American and Pacific Islander women of any age increased in that time by 2.7% a year.
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The report also said that while more white women are diagnosed with breast cancer, more Black women die from it. Especially young Black women.
“So, if you’re a Black woman between the ages of 20 to 29, you’re really two times more likely to die of breast cancer than your white classmate or your white colleague,” Dahut said.
Dahut believes that screenings and new treatments have led to the overall breast cancer death rate drop. He said closing the disparity gaps for all women will take more research.
How big is the racial gap in death rates from breast cancer in Michigan? The latest data shows it’s a little better than many other states but the mortality rate for Black women is roughly 30% higher than it is for white women. But also keep in mind about 6% fewer Black women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Michigan, which really magnifies the scale of the difference.
In an effort to address ongoing cancer disparities, the American Cancer Society launched a study called “Voices of Black Women”. It’s aimed at researching younger Black women in the U.S. who have not been diagnosed with cancer. To try to better understand their risk and cancer outcomes. Anyone interested can visit their website voices.cancer.org