Research by MSU faculty members suggests breast cancer death rates linked to race may be a myth.
The report, which was published this week in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, said breast cancer death rates are associated with income level instead of race, something MSU researchers say is a common misconception.
Researchers from the College of Human Medicine found women living in low-income situations were 41 percent more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer in the later stages of development and three times more likely to die.
Lead researcher Cathy Bradley, associate professor in the college, said Michigan is at the forefront in discovering cancer’s connection to socioeconomic status.
“With cancer in the state that it is in now, short of scientific discovery, we probably have done all we can in terms of detection, survival and treatment of middle- and upper-income groups,” she said. “We still have a tremendous responsibility to bring those of lower economic status up to enjoy the same kind of benefits.
“If you can reduce the burden of cancer among lower-income economic status women, you can go a long way in improving their outcome.”
She said the bulk of the research was identifying everybody diagnosed with cancer in Metro Detroit. Names were collected from the Detroit Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registry. The names were matched against Michigan’s Medicaid enrollment file. She said it took more than a year and a half to collect and analyze the data.
Stephanie Rigler, community development director for the American Cancer Society, said the society has similar findings.
“(Black women) are not getting the information as to when they should get yearly mammograms, but also economic status could play into that as well,” she said.
Rigler said it is important for women to get mammograms yearly after age 40. She said early detection aids the chance of survival.
“There is a lot of hope,”Rigler said. “We can help by educating people who do have an economic problem with getting to the doctor.
“Every woman has a risk of getting breast cancer, whether they are rich or poor.”
Former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, who was on campus Monday, said quality and access to health care contributes to the higher death rate among black people. He said quality of health care for low-income people is improving.
“When you make progress, you benefit those who are on the low end of the scale,” he said. “So when you improve the system everyone benefits.”
