Black women have substantially higher rates of early death from gynecologic cancers compared to women of other races and ethnicities, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Researchers analyzed data from over 460,000 women diagnosed with gynecologic cancers between 2000-2020. They found Black women had the highest early death rates – defined as death within two months of diagnosis – for tubo-ovarian, cervical and uterine cancers.
The racial disparities were most pronounced for tubo-ovarian cancer, with a 14.5% early death rate among Black women compared to just 6.4% for Asian women.
“Studies have repeatedly shown that disparities have persisted throughout the last 2 decades in diagnosis, treatment and survival among cases of ut
erine, tubo-ovarian and cervical cancers,” said lead author Dr. Matthew W. Lee of the University of Southern California.
While early death rates decreased over time for all racial groups, significant gaps remain. The researchers noted the disparities likely stem from multiple factors, including healthcare access, socioeconomic status, and biology.
“This gap in rates of early death between racial and ethnic groups calls for further evaluation of the causes of a potential disparity,” the study authors wrote. They suggest tracking early death as a quality metric could help address these persistent inequalities in gynecologic cancer outcomes.
The findings highlight the urgent need to reduce racial disparities in gynecologic cancer care and survival rates among women in the United States.
See “Black women have substantially higher rates of early death from gynecologic cancers” (July 1, 2024)
