Treatment choices and response rates in African-American women with breast carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer mortality rates are higher among African-American women compared with white American women, yet little is known regarding ethnicity-related variation in patterns of primary surgical treatment, locoregional recurrence rates, and response to induction chemotherapy.


METHODS
The available literature was reviewed to evaluate outcome from breast-conservation therapy in African-American women and response rates to systemic therapy.


RESULTS
Breast-conservation therapy appears to be underused among African-American women, a pattern that is noted also among white women with breast carcinoma. Higher rates of locoregional recurrence are seen among African-American women regardless of whether they receive breast-conserving treatment or undergo mastectomy, and this appears to be a function of primary tumor biology. Response rates to appropriately delivered systemic therapy are similar for African-American patients and white patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the apparent increased aggressiveness of disease seen in African-American women with breast carcinoma, patterns of response to local and systemic therapy are similar to the patterns seen in white women with breast carcinoma.
Newman
Lisa A
LA
Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. lanewman@umich.edu
Theriault
Richard
R
Clendinnin
Neil
N
Jones
Dennie
D
Pierce
Lori
L
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States