However, the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that, as of the end of 2020, roughly 7.8 million women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the previous five years were alive. While no woman wants to receive a breast cancer diagnosis, millions of women worldwide are living testaments to the effectiveness of treatments for the disease.
There are various things women can do to increase their chances of surviving a breast cancer diagnosis. Recognizing one’s own risk of developing the disease is especially important, as it may compel women to prioritize screening and make changes that could reduce their cancer risk.
There are many risk factors for breast cancer, and ethnicity is one of them. Data reported by the Canadian Breast Cancer Network indicates breast cancer rates and survival rates differ among ethnic groups, though it cautions gathering of such data in countries like Canada, the U.S. and United Kingdom, where there are many races and ethnicities within the population, means there are limited studies on breast cancer disparities. As well, limited studies are usually restricted to Caucasian, Black and African American (BAA) or Asian and South Asian (ASA).
Though the relationship between ethnicity and breast cancer is complicated and intertwined with other risk factors, data indicates that incidence and death rates are higher among certain ethnic groups than others.
Limited studies show that the highest incidence rate for breast cancer is among Caucasian women, while the highest death rate is among Black and African American women.
The lowest incidence rate and death rate is reported among Asian women.
Studies also note that socioeconomic factors such as education and income level and access to medical screening and services undoubtedly affect incidence and death rates among different ethnicities. But other factors, such as cultural practices and beliefs within certain ethnic groups, also affect those rates.
Women concerned about breast cancer are urged to prioritize screening for the disease and discuss factors such as diet, physical activity and cultural practices to determine if there’s anything they can do to lower their cancer risk.
This story was written for the Think Pink advertising feature. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.
