Breast Cancer Death Rates in the U.S. Continue to Drop

Fewer U.S. women diagnosed with breast cancer are losing their lives to the disease, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.

The mortality rate for women with breast cancer has fallen 44% since 1989, which equates to more than 500,000 lives saved. But researchers say not all women are benefitting from the screening and treatment progress we’ve made.

The latest data shows Black women continue to have a 38% higher breast cancer mortality rate than white women and death rates among American Indian and Alaska Native women have remained unchanged over the past three decades

Researchers say there’s also a ‘concerning’ upward trend in breast cancer incidence, rising 1% annually from 2012-2021 especially in women under 50 years of age and Asian American/Pacific Island women of any age.

The lead author says the continued decrease in overall breast cancer mortality is encouraging, but “Future progress may be thwarted by increasing incidence, especially among younger women, and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as delayed diagnosis due to interruptions in screening.”

To address ongoing cancer disparities, researchers have launched the VOICES of Black Women study to better understand breast cancer risks and outcomes.

And the President of the American Cancer Society is urging Congress to renew legislation that provides critical screenings and treatment for uninsured and underinsured women.

Source: The American Cancer Society, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians