Age-related differences in breast cancer stage at diagnosis between black and white patients in an urban community hospital.
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer mortality is significantly higher among black patients compared to white patients. Black women are reportedly at increased risk for early-onset breast cancer. Our goal was to evaluate stage distribution relative to age among black and white breast cancer patients in an institution with a relatively high minority patient population.


METHODS
We evaluated 425 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 1990 and 1994: 56% white, 34% black, the remainder were other ethnicities. Patients were stratified by age: under 50 years versus 50 and older. Socioeconomic status was estimated by utilization of medical care in the private-practice setting versus the public clinic.


RESULTS
Significantly more black patients were younger at diagnosis compared to white patients (32% vs. 20%; p = 0.008). There was a significantly more advanced stage distribution among the younger black patients, but not among the older black patients. Most of the black and white patients received private-practice care.


CONCLUSIONS
These age-related differences in breast cancer stage distribution between black and white patients (which appeared independent of socioeconomic status) indicate that more aggressive screening and public education programs directed toward younger black women is warranted, and they lend support to the possibility of ethnicity-related variation in primary tumor biology.
Newman
L A
LA
Department of Surgery, Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Alfonso
A E
AE
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen