Among women in the US, overall deaths from breast cancer dropped steadily during the 1990s, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society. This improvement in survival is attributed to progress in both early detection and better treatments for the disease.

But the survival gap between white and African-American women is widening. African-American women have a 30% higher death rate than white women, according to Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2003-2004.

The latest figures show more than 90% of breast cancers are now diagnosed at a local or regional stage, when 5-year survival rates are 97% and 79%, respectively.

However, since 1980, when breast cancer death rates were about equal between black and white women, mortality rates for the two groups have gradually split apart. In addition, African-American women have:

• Slightly higher incidence of breast cancer among young women (under age 40) compared to white women (although incidence is very low in this age group among all ethnicities)
• Higher incidence of large (+5cm) tumors and disease that has spread
• Lower 5-year survival rate for disease that has spread (15 percent versus 25 percent for white women)

“The reasons for this disparity are not fully understood,” said Michael J. Thun, MD, vice president, epidemiology and surveillance research for the American Cancer Society. “However, we do know that the widening disparity in death rates in large part reflects socio-economic factors. That is to say, more affluent women have greater access to high-quality early detection, particularly mammography, and appropriate treatment. Their breast cancers, therefore, are diagnosed at an earlier stage and treated more aggressively.”

Other highlights from Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2003-2004 include:

• Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in U.S. women, with 211,300 invasive cases expected in 2003. It accounts for nearly one out of three cancers diagnosed in U.S. women.
• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in U.S. women; 39,800 deaths are expected in 2003, with an additional 1,300 deaths among U.S. men.
• Other racial and ethnic groups have lower incidence rates than whites and African Americans.

The publication also presents breast cancer information for each state and the latest knowledge what influences survival, risk factors for the disease, including several factors that women have control over, and sections on prevention, early detection, and current breast cancer research.

Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2003-2004 is available free of charge by calling toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345) and on this web site.

Additional Resources
All About Breast Cancer
ACS Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines and the Role of Breast Self-Exams
ACS Patient Support Programs & Services
American Cancer Society Cancer Survivors Network®