Stage 0 Breast Cancer in Black Women

Black women under the age of 35: You could be at risk for ductal carcinoma, also known as stage 0 breast cancer, according to a recent study published in Jama Oncology.

Stage 0 breast cancer is typically thought of as noninvasive, but what researchers found may surprise you. After analyzing the data of approximately 100,000 women who were diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer over a 23-year period from 1988 to 2011, they found that the overall mortality rate 20 years following the initial diagnosis was 3.3 percent, whereas the mortality rate for young Black women was 7.8 percent.

“Just when the medical community was about to give a sign of relief that ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS] of the breast was nothing more than a false alarm of cancer, new research is showing that yet again this notion might not hold true for young African-American women,” says Dr. Bola Oyeyipo, a family physician in San Antonio, Texas and co-founder of Healthgist.com.

As a result, many women are undergoing unnecessary, invasive procedures such as a lumpectomy and radiotherapy. While these procedures have been proven to reduce the recurrence, they have not decreased the mortality rate.

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“I would advise African-American women to keep up with the current breast cancer screening guidelines and keep the communication open with their doctor,” says Dr. Oyeyipo.

Breast cancer cannot necessarily be prevented, but you can lower your risk by maintaining a healthy body weight, working out regularly, eating properly, and cutting back on stress. And remember: The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better the outcome.

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