Rates of mammography low in Mexican-American women in Ella Binational study

AACR 2009 Science of Cancer Health Disparities

Despite a high rate of mammography screening reported by Hispanic women in national surveys, a high percentage of breast cancer is not being detected using this method in women enrolled in the ongoing multicenter Ella Binational Breast Cancer Study.

The data were presented yesterday at a press conference at the AACR 2009 Science of Cancer Health Disparities meeting.

Researchers from the University of Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston used data from the U.S. population of the study to assess the relationship between education level, acculturation and breast cancer screening behaviors. The study included 230 women of Mexican descent with breast cancer. Study participants were aged 40 years or older and resided in Texas (n=138) or Arizona (n=92).

Data indicated self-detection was the most common method of breast cancer detection (67%), followed by mammography (23%), clinical examination (6%) or other methods (3%).

Mammography screening use was strongly associated with origin of birth, level of education and acculturation. Data indicated that 83% of U.S.-born women reported receiving prior mammography compared with 62% of non-U.S.-born women (P<.001).

Women with a high school degree or higher education level were more likely to receive prior mammography when compared with women with lower levels of education (76% vs. 62%; P=.03).

In addition, 77% of women who had high English-language media exposure were more likely to receive mammography screening vs. 58% of women with low exposure to English-language media exposure (P=.04).

“Even more interesting was that despite breast cancer detection, the majority of these women waited longer than one month before seeking medical attention,” said Rachel Zenuk, graduate student at The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, who presented the data during the press conference. – by Jennifer Southall

These data will help us understand the breast cancer burden on Hispanic women. Right now we primarily have data on the Mexican-American population. It will be important in the future to expand on these studies and include other Hispanic populations such as Cuban-Americans, Puerto Rican-Americans and South Americans in order for us to fully understand the problem of breast cancer in the Hispanic population in the United States.

– Elena Martinez, MPH, PhD

Professor of Epidemiology, Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson

For more information:

Zenuk R. #A55. Presented at: the AACR 2009 Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Feb. 3-6,2009; Carefree, Ariz.