Health Minute: New breast cancer data revealed in report | Watch now

After skin cancer, it is the most common cancer among women in the United States – the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 310,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

A new report from the American Cancer Society shows that overall breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by 44% over the past 35 years.

“This is really a dramatic decline,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society. “Over 500,000 breast cancer deaths have been averted, which is truly spectacular.”

However, this progress was not felt by all women. Researchers also discovered an upward trend in breast cancer incidence, with the sharpest increase in women under 50, increasing by 1% each year between 2012 and 2021, and Asian American and Pacific Islanders of all ages increasing by up to 2.7% over that period. was recorded year.

The report also says that while more white women are being diagnosed with breast cancer, more black women are dying from it – especially young black women.

“So if you're a black woman between the ages of 20 and 29, you're actually twice as likely to die from breast cancer as your white classmate or colleague,” Dahut said.

Dahut believes screening and new treatments have led to a decline in overall breast cancer mortality rates, but says closing the inequality gaps for all women requires further research.

To address the persistent cancer disparities, the American Cancer Society launched a study called “Voices of Black Women,” which aims to examine younger Black women in the United States who have not been diagnosed with cancer to assess their risk and to better understand their cancer consequences.

Anyone interested can visit their website by clicking here.