The Complexities of Racial Disparity in Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancers as well as a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women in the United States. Although there has been a recent decline in breast cancer mortality, certain ethnic groups continue to suffer from higher mortality rates. The causes of racial disparities in breast cancer patients are still unclear, but understanding the molecular mechanism(s) and associated factors that may contribute to racial disparity will help in improving the treatment outcome of patients in such minority groups in the future. The disparity in breast cancer statistics between African American (AA) women and European American (EA) women has particularly been a topic of much discussion and investigation. Previous studies have focused on breast cancer mortality rates, but more recent studies are addressing the racial and ethnic disparities specific to breast cancer. In the future, a deeper understanding of the racial disparities in breast cancer will lead to improved cancer preventative care, diagnosis and treatment. Here, we summarize the social factors that are known to contribute to racial disparity in breast cancer.