Despite three decades of prevention and treatment advancements, Black women are still 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer.

According to a recent study, deaths from breast cancer have dropped by approximately 43 percent in 30 years. That translates into 460,000 lives saved from 1989-2020.

But medical progress hasn’t made breast cancer less fatal for Black women. Although less likely to develop the disease, Black women are diagnosed at a higher rate, with those younger than 50 succumbing at twice the rate of same-aged White women.

Disparities in Care

Health care disparities in communities of color aren’t new. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes that, due to factors called social determinants of health, these communities are at more risk to develop:

• Diabetes
• Asthma
• Heart disease
• Obesity
• Hypertension
• Certain cancers

Understand Your Risk

It’s important that women of color realize the risk. Two of the most significant are listed here:

• Black women are twice as likely as White women to be diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive subtype that spreads quickly and recurs at a higher rate, as well as inflammatory subtypes.
• Black women are more likely to be diagnosed at younger ages, and with more advanced and aggressive subtypes.

Reduce Your Risk

Screen early:

A U-M study published last year suggests that deaths could decrease up to 57 percent if Black women started screening mammograms at age 40, followed by mammograms every other year.

Since breast cancer screening guidelines have changed during the last few years, experts recommend initiating discussions with doctors about your specific risk factors by age 30. If you have a family history of cancer, begin those talks even earlier.

Identify your tissue type:

It’s also important to have the right type of mammography when the time comes. About half of women have dense breast tissue, which means healthy tissue can hide an abnormality.

Additional tests, such as contrast-enhanced mammography, ultrasound or MRI, may be necessary for women with dense breast tissue. If you’re told this applies to you, insist that your doctor explain the level of density, and which screening method is appropriate for your tissue type.

View additional measures to reduce your risk for developing breast cancer.

Help from MHealthy

MHealthy, in partnership with the U-M Rogel Cancer Center, has compiled a collection of cancer prevention resources to help you determine when you should have your first mammogram, what to expect during a screening, what to know about male breast cancer, and more.