A new study has shone a light on why Black women are 31% more likely to die from breast cancer than any other racial group, despite being less likely to develop the disease in the first place.
Previously a lot of the research has focussed on socioeconomic factors as being the possible cause (such as the known disparity in healthcare between races), but now scientists have discovered that there are also notable molecular differences found in the breast cells of white and Black women. Black women are also more likely to be diagnosed with the disease at a later stage and have a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity (all of which have been identified as possible cancer-related risk factors), reminding of the importance of checking your breasts.
The study, published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology, writes that researchers from Sanford Burnham Prebys examined healthy tissues as well as tumour tissues from 185 Black women, then compared them to similar samples from white women. They found that the way DNA repair genes are expressed, both in healthy breast tissue and in cancerous tumours, differs. Black women also respond differently to certain treatments, the paper adds, suggesting they may benefit from undergoing them at an earlier stage.
"What we’re seeing here is a tangible molecular difference in how these cells repair damaged DNA – a critical factor in the development of cancer – which affects how cells grow and reproduce in tumours," said Svasti Haricharan, PhD, an assistant professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in San Diego, California, when speaking to Healthline.
When also speaking about the cell-level discovery, Dr. Reshma L. Mahtani, the chief of breast oncology at Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida, said, "This is an important study in that it attempts to get to the root of the disparity in death rates on a molecular level."
Dr Mahtani added, "We have made considerable progress in treating breast cancer, as evidenced by decreasing mortality rates over the last 20 to 30 years. Unfortunately, this progress has not been experienced by all ethnic groups equally, with the gap in incidence and outcome among Black women being particularly substantial.
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"Although socioeconomic and behavioural factors may account for some of these differences, they don’t tell the whole story."
Sadly, breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, but it's thought that over a quarter of cases are preventable by adopting healthy lifestyle changes such as eating a balanced diet, partaking in regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding hormone-disrupting chemicals.
As a reminder, here are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer to be aware of:
- Changes in skin texture such as puckering/dimpling
- Nipple discharge
- Nipple inversion and changes in direction
- Swelling in your armpit or around collar bone
- A sudden change in size or shape
- A rash or crusting of the nipple or surrounding are
- Lumps and thickening
- Constant, unusual pain in your breast or armpit
- Make sure you examine right up to your collarbone and into armpits (lifting your arms up will make this easier)
Anyone in need of cancer support can call the Macmillan Support Line and speak to specially trained nurses and other experts on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm, or visit Macmillan’s website or Online Community: macmillan.org.uk
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
