Breast Cancer Detection Rates By Race And Ethnicity Show Importance Of Screening For All Age Groups

Commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness Month, HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala recently announced the first race- and ethnic-specific rates of breast cancer detection. She also released public service announcements (PSAs) featuring Surgeon General David A. Satcher, M.D. that underscore the importance of early detection in the fight against breast and cervical cancer through health programs such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.

According to CDC data published in the October 2000 issue of Cancer Causes and Control, among women receiving their first National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) -funded mammogram, 7.7 cancers were detected per 1,000 white women; 6.4 cancers per 1,000 African-American women; 6.2 per 1,000 Asian/Pacific Islander women; 4.9 per 1,000 American Indian/Alaska Native women; and 4.9 per 1,000 Hispanic women. Women who reported no mammography before their first NBCCEDP mammogram were more likely to have abnormal results and cancers than women who reported previous mammography. Approximately three-fourths of white and African-American women had at least one mammogram before entering the NBCCEDP; the percentage was much lower for Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native and Hispanic women.

To request copies of the Surgeon General's PSA or for more information about the study on race- and ethnic-specific rates of breast cancer detection, call 770-488-4751. To learn more about the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, visit http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/NBCCEDP or call toll-free 1-888-842-6355.