What is alarming about this trend is that it has been noticed in research in places like the US as well as other countries around the world. While this is quite intriguing, one possible anomaly that could explain such trends could be due to the fact that most black women "are less aware of the symptoms or less 'breast aware'" and thus "their cancer is diagnosed at a later stage which would reduce the chance of successful treatment and recovery." A particular concern officials within the UK healthcare system are having is that if such a trend is proven to not be biological, then foul play within the system, specifically non accessibility, would most likely be responsible. IF this is the reason, striking reform, which has been debated heavily recently in the UK, within the health care system will have to be taken.
In the meantime, if you're black, or really any ethinicity and live in the UK (or anywhere)...save yourself the trouble and go get checked. The best way to beat cancer is through early detection!
Check out the full story here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24624517
Great topic, Aditya. It’s always fascinating to look at how different demographic groups experience differences in healthcare. I do think it’s important to look for genetic factors that might lead to an increased risk for breast cancer: while I’ve read that only 2% of genetic variation is due to differences between races, it’s still possible for that 2% to contain important variants (ex. African Americans are thought to be at higher risk for high blood pressure because of genetics), and all possibilities should be thoroughly investigated.
ReplyDeleteI see some contradictions in reporting between the British Journal of Cancer and the bulk of the BBC article, though—how can the British Journal of Cancer contend that black women and white women have the “same access to treatment” and, at the same time, hypothesize that black women develop worse cases of breast cancer because they are less aware of disease? Informing different groups about disease and ensuring awareness is just as integral to healthcare as the direct treatment after someone has developed the disease. Discrimination and racism are still very much alive today, even if they’re not as overt, and they’ve been shown to influence health by themselves (people of color are more likely to experience constant stress due to causes such as racism, and this stress takes a toll on the body). If indeed lower levels of awareness among the black community are contributing to unequal prognoses among young women with cancer, it’s a problem that the system needs to address soon.
Thanks again for the great link—I really enjoyed this post!
I have heard this prognosis before but I can't exactly recall where I first heard it. It makes me curious to think is this due to biological factors or cultural influences. Disregarding lack of education and access to proper healthcare are there certain cultural trends that African American women participate in that could put them at an increased risk for developing a stronger strain of breast cancer. This could include differences in diet, activity level, exposure to certain chemicals from hair products, etc. Unfortunately, researchers would need to perform hundreds of studies just to test for the different possible factors; this could take decades, or even a century to yield accurate and informing results! As we all know, the medical field is not as black and white as we wish so there is a very good chance that the increase in susceptibility could be due to both lack of education/healthcare and various cultural influences. Such trends are displayed when it comes to other types of cancer, such as skin cancer as well (Caucasian women are more likely to develop skin cancer than any other race). Ultimately, it is important to eat healthy, take care of your body, and self-test! Great article Aditya!
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