AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN BREAST-CANCER STAGE AT DIAGNOSIS BETWEEN BLACK-AND-WHITE PATIENTS IN AN URBAN-COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

Background: Breast cancer mortality is significantly higher among blac k patients compared to white patients, Black women are reportedly at i ncreased risk for early-onset breast cancer. Our goal was to evaluate stage distribution relative to age among black and white breast cancer patients in an institution with a relatively high minority patient po pulation. Methods: We evaluated 425 patients diagnosed with breast can cer between 1990 and 1994: 56% white, 34% black, the remainder were ot her ethnicities. Patients were stratified by age: under 50 years versu s 50 and older. Socioeconomic status was estimated by utilization of m edical care in the private-practice setting versus the public clinic. Results: Significantly more black patients were younger at diagnosis c ompared to white patients (32% vs. 20%; p = 0.008). There was a signif icantly more advanced stage distribution among the younger black patie nts, but not among the older black patients. Most of the black and whi te patients received private-practice care. Conclusions: These age-rel ated differences in breast cancer stage distribution between black and white patients (which appeared independent of socioeconomic status) i ndicate that more aggressive screening and public education progams di rected toward younger black women is warranted, and they lend support to the possibility of ethnicity-related variation in primary tumor bio logy.