The American Cancer Society (ACS) published a report revealing mixed news regarding breast cancer trends in the U.S., while breast cancer deaths have decreased by 44% since the late 1980s, new diagnoses continue to rise year after year. This rise is greater among younger women, with rates increasing by 1.4% each year since 2021.
Current breast cancer rates among Asian American and Pacific Islander women under 50 have increased by 50% compared to 2000 levels, exceeding the rates among Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native women of the same age group.
The factors behind this rise in breast cancer among younger women are not well understood. Dr. Sonya Reid, a breast medical oncologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, suggested that multiple factors may be contributing to the increased risk, like modifiable risk factors such as environmental exposures, rising rates of obesity and sedentary lifestyles. These trends are likely influenced by more than one factor alone.
“To see a 44% decrease in mortality is incredibly gratifying, but these gains have not been seen equally in all populations,” said Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society.
The report also highlights long-standing racial disparities in breast cancer mortality. Despite advances in early detection and treatment, black women are still 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women even though they are 5% less likely to develop it. The gap persists even for treatable subtypes of breast cancer, reflecting systemic disparities in detection and treatment accessibility.
