Report: Breast Cancer Death Rate Declines, Racial Disparity In Outcomes Remains

A report from the American Cancer Society shows that the breast cancer death rate has fallen 39 percent since 1989.

Dr. Alexandria Thomas of Wake Forest Baptist says, “We have seen newer and better therapies become available, and also newer and better imaging techniques to diagnose breast cancer earlier, to diagnose recurrences earlier, and to be able to offer therapies to women that are highly effective.” 

But, there's still a racial disparity in outcomes. In all U.S. states, breast cancer death rates are higher in non-Hispanic black women than in non-Hispanic white women. According to the American Cancer Society, in North Carolina almost 50 percent more black women will die from the disease than their white peers.   

Thomas says part of the problem is uneven access to care.

“If we can overcome care delivery problems," she says, "we really can have even bigger improvements in breast cancer outcomes.”

Other factors in the disparity could include time of diagnosis and type of breast cancer.