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Black women more likely to have ER/PR-negative breast cancer
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AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research
Recent data from the American Cancer Society confirmed previous research indicating black women are more likely than white women to be diagnosed with estrogen or progesterone–receptor-negative breast cancer. Efforts are needed to ensure timely and effective treatment for these aggressive tumors in this population.
“We found that 35% of breast cancers among black women were ER/PR-negative compared with 20% of tumors in white women, which is consistent with what has been found in previous literature,” Elizabeth Ward, PhD, director of cancer surveillance research at the American Cancer Society, said during a press briefing.
In an effort to identify the effect of socioeconomic status and tumor characteristics on ER/PR-breast cancer status among black and white women, Ward and colleagues used data from 175,820 women aged 18 to 99 years with invasive breast cancer. Data were drawn from the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2005.
Data indicated black women were 2.26 times more likely to have a diagnosis of ER/PR-breast cancer when compared with white women; lower educational attainment and uninsured or Medicaid insured status was associated with higher risk for ER/PR-breast cancer.
After controlling for socioeconomic factors, black women remained 1.97 times more likely to have hormone negative tumors when compared with white women. After adjusting for tumor stage, size and histology, the RR was further reduced to 1.85.
“Further studies with additional individual level data on socioeconomic characteristics may help to clarify the relationship between socioeconomic data and hormonal receptors,” Ward said. “Associations between race, area socioeconomic data and insurance data with hormone receptor status merits further research.” – by Jennifer Southall
For more information:
- DeSantis C. #B122. Presented at: AACR Seventh Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; Nov. 16-18, 2008; Washington.