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DTumors from breast cancer leave huge holes in families and communities that cannot be filled. This disease kills About 44,000 people Every year in the US, and shocking 685,000 around the world.
In the US, breast cancer is disproportionately affected by women of color. They are black women 41% more likely to die. Breast cancer is more common in white women and a 39% higher risk of recurrence. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) holds up to 20% of new breast cancersSpecial attention is paid to these groups.
With so many policy promises being made to advance health equity, it’s past time for lawmakers in Washington to double down on policies already proven to save lives of underserved groups who bear disparities in breast cancer screening.
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Thanks to my mom for teaching me to be aware of my body and do breast self-examination at a young age. At age 31, I felt a lump in my breast and immediately knew it wasn’t there. However, I was denied the necessary screening for breast cancer because the doctor said I was “too young” and should come back in my 40s because women my age don’t have breast cancer. After six months of constantly calling the doctor, I finally had a biopsy. The next day I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. They are black women 38% could be more than white women to be diagnosed with stage 4, metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. If I had waited longer, I would not be alive today and would be another statistic.
The disease got its name because they are cancer cells Negative for three key receptors – Estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2). Medicines to treat breast cancer generally target these receptors, so their absence means that treatment options are limited.
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It is triple negative breast cancer. ViolentIt is often investigated Later stagesAnd it is more likely to spread to other parts of the body than other types of breast cancer. Individuals diagnosed with metastatic TNBC have only a. 12% chance of survival More than five years and there Chances of recurrence are high. Compared to other types of breast cancer.
They are black women Three times more than white women To be diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and The lowest survival rate At each stage of the investigation. Hispanic women also have the triple-negative subtype They have more time and a higher risk of death compared to non-Hispanic white women.
Triple-negative breast cancer is more common. Young womenAnd people under the age of 40 are twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those between the ages of 50 and 64.
he said Lack of consensus and unclear guidance for adolescent breast cancer screening guidelines, which do not adequately reflect the status of those at risk for TNBC. Many women have similar experiences as I did – they were dismissed by their caregivers when they had unusual problems at a young age.
An influential guide from US Defense Services Task Force He recommends mammograms every two years starting at age 50, although he acknowledges that some people may be eligible as early as age 40. American Academy of Family Practice and the American College of Physicians Advise to start mammography screening at age 50. On the other hand American College of Radiology and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists They recommend mammograms starting at age 40.
Unfortunately, none of the recommendations refer to risk-based screening before age 40. More than 40% Among the reported cases of TNBC were identified.
Because of a lack of awareness of triple-negative breast cancer and provider indifference, many young people, especially people of color, do not get the screening tests they need or face barriers when seeking care.
Delays in breast cancer screening due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of insurance, lack of disease awareness, health care provider bias, and other structural barriers are devastating for women with triple-negative breast cancer.
Congress can invest in addressing these inequities.
This problem is not new. 30 years ago, at the direction of Congress, they created the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program To meet the needs of uninsured and underinsured women. But what should be a strong national program It reaches only 15% If women are eligible for it.
If the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program had been adequately funded decades ago and if uninsured and underinsured, most women of color had received free screening, the disparity in breast cancer coverage might look different today. If necessary, diagnostic and treatment services. We will never know.
Concerned members of Congress know the problem. In both at home And Senate The Labor and Health and Human Services benefits bills include a $10 million increase for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. They included. Specific reporting language Increase awareness of triple-negative breast cancer and include intervention strategies to address inequities in breast cancer screening and diagnosis, targeting women who are geographically or culturally distinct and who are part of certain racial and ethnic groups. Additionally, as part of the Cancer Moonshot initiative; 3 million dollars have been allocated To expand efforts to increase awareness of breast cancer in young women.
As a triple-negative breast cancer survivor who has had to battle entrenched systemic barriers in the health care system for many years, I understand the importance of timely access to screening and diagnostic evaluations, life-saving services, and treatments. With this additional funding, more young people from black and Hispanic communities will get the care they need before it’s too late.
I thank the leaders of Congress for their support for all breast cancer survivors, especially Black, Hispanic, and young women who rely on TNBC and the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. While the advances in Congress and the Cancer Moonshot are important steps, breast cancer patients and survivors have a responsibility to advocate for continued benefits and policy changes aimed at further addressing the significant inequities among Black, Brown, and younger women with breast cancer.
Maimah Karmo is the founder and CEO of the organization. Tigerlily FoundationA national breast cancer organization that provides education, awareness, advocacy and support for young women during and after breast cancer.
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