A new study indicates that Black women may need to start breast cancer screening at age 42, eight years earlier than current guidelines recommend for the general population. The research, analyzing over 400,000 breast cancer deaths in the U.S. between 2011 and 2020, found that Black women reach the national average risk for breast cancer at 42, compared to 51 for white women.
This disparity highlights the ongoing racial inequities in healthcare outcomes. Black women tend to develop breast cancer at younger ages and are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive forms of the disease. One in five Black women are diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive type.
“I feel both hopeful and frustrated,” says Suzette Simon, a New York-based comedian, producer, and founder of NY Laughs, a nonprofit that produces free comedy programming in public spaces. A breast cancer survivor herself, she is a champion for Black women with breast cancer. “It’s encouraging to see evidence-based recommendations that could save lives and improve health outcomes for Black women through earlier breast cancer screening. However, it’s frustrating that it has taken so long to recognize this racial disparity in screening guidelines.”
The study’s findings suggest that current screening guidelines, which recommend starting at age 50, may need to be modified for Black women. Earlier detection could significantly improve outcomes and reduce mortality rates.
To address this disparity, experts recommend increased patient education, community outreach programs, mobile screening units, and expanded health insurance coverage for earlier screenings. These efforts aim to ensure that all women, particularly those at higher risk, have access to potentially life-saving screenings.
See “Black Women May Need To Start Breast Cancer Screening At 42, According To A New Study” (July 19, 2024)
