Race Differences in Breast Cancer Survival
Abstract
This is a population based follow-up study of 145 African American (AA) and 177 white (W) women who were diagnosed with breast cancer between January, 1987 and May, 1989. As of January, 1999, 135 (41.9%) of the women had died. survival among AA women (56.9%) was significantly lower than survival in W women (68.9%) AGE-ADJUSTED Risk Ratio ?RR! 1.73 (95% Confidence Interval ?CI! 1.21 - 2.48!. The significant survival disadvantage persisted even with additional adjustment for TNM stage at diagnosis and one measure of socioeconomic status (education) (RR 1.49, 95% CI 1.02 - 2.19). African American women were twice as likely to be diagnosed with tumors that were TNM stage II or higher. Evaluating archived tissue specimens, we demonstrated some important race differences: AA women were significantly more likely than W women to have tumors that were higher histologic grade, higher nuclear grade, estrogen receptor negative, and p53 positive, all of which are associated with poor prognosis. Although AA women were more likely than W women to be progesterone receptor negative (61% vs. 50%), and to express c-met (62% vs. 56%), these differences were not statistically significant. AA women were not significantly to be positive for HER-2(neu). AA women were more than were W women to die from their breast cancer in the approximately 10 year follow-up period. Tumors in African American women were more likely to be to have characteristics associated with poor prognosis than were white women. The race difference in TNM stage at diagnosis was the strongest explanatory factor for the observed race difference in survival. Race difference in socioeconomic status was not an important explanatory variable. After adjustment for TNM stage at diagnosis, the factors that predict survival may be race specific.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADB282216
Entities
People
- Beth A. Jones
Organizations
- Yale University