title: Breast cancer screening at the Breast Examination Center of Harlem.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to describe patient, disease, and treatment characteristics of women diagnosed with breast cancer at the Breast Examination Center of Harlem (BECH) and to determine whether these characteristics have changed over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review of women diagnosed with breast cancer at BECH from 2000 to 2008 was performed. Comparisons were made to data from an earlier study period (1995-2000).
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2000 to 2008, 339 women were diagnosed with breast cancer following attendance at BECH-55 % were black, 39 % Hispanic, 5 % of other race/ethnicity; 52 % had no health insurance. Hispanic patients were significantly more likely to have no health insurance compared with black patients (p = 0.0091); 29 % of patients had preinvasive disease and 36.5 % had stage I disease. Almost 40 % of the entire group was followed for <1 year. Five-year overall survival for the entire group was 83 % (95 % CI, 75-89 %) and 79 % for 188 Black women (95 % CI, 68-87 %). Compared with the earlier study period (1995-2000), fewer patients presented with palpable masses (45.4 vs. 67 %), and more had either stage 0 or stage I disease (65.6 vs. 46 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women diagnosed with breast cancer at BECH are predominantly Black and Hispanic, and most of these patients do not have health insurance. An increasing proportion of women diagnosed with breast cancer are presenting with nonpalpable, early-stage disease. Despite improved access to breast cancer screening, early stage at diagnosis, and access to appropriate management, these ethnic minorities continue to have poor outcomes and are poorly compliant with follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Breast Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Aidan T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azu
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.forename: Sujata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Godfrey
authors.forename: Ayshe A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Beesen
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liberman
authors.forename: Mary L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gemignani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult