New research provides more explanation as to why more black women die of breast cancer than white women, despite the evidence of breast cancer incidence being higher among white women.

According to Rowan Chelbowski, M.D, Ph.D., a researcher at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, results of the study show a significantly lower breast cancer incidence among black women. However, while they were less likely to develop the illness, they were also less likely to survive it.

"Ethnicity had a major effect on poor prognosis cancer risk. In black women, a higher proportion of breast cancers are diagnosed with unfavorable characteristics," says Chelbowski.

Chelbowski points out that genetic and biochemical factors may be the source for those high-grade, receptor-negative cancers. He points out that, "Black women might have a genetic profile that puts them at lower risk of getting breast cancer, but higher risk of this one specific high-grade tumor."

SOURCE:
Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (http://www.labiomed.org)