National Trends in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mortality from Breast Cancer (1999-2021)

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the United States.
• Understanding racial and ethnic trends in breast cancer mortality is crucial for addressing health disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze racial and ethnic trends in breast cancer mortality in the US from 1999 to 2021.
• To identify disparities in breast cancer death rates across different demographic groups.

Main Methods:

• Utilized CDC WONDER database for mortality data (1999-2021).
• Calculated age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) stratified by race/ethnicity, age, and US census region.
• Employed Joinpoint regression to analyze temporal changes in mortality rates.

Main Results:

• Overall breast cancer mortality rates declined by 1.52% annually (AAPC).
• Non-Hispanic Black women exhibited the highest mortality rates, while non-Hispanic Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) women had the lowest.
• A significant increase in AAPC was observed for non-Hispanic AAPI women aged ≥65 and in the Southern US region.

Conclusions:

• Persistent racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer mortality exist despite overall declines.
• Targeted research integrating demographic, molecular, and genetic factors is needed to refine prevention and treatment strategies.
• Addressing these disparities is essential for improving breast cancer outcomes across all populations.