Alero Fregene|Mark Newman
Breast cancer in sub?Saharan Africa: How does it relate to breast cancer in African?American women?
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor|University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
africanamerican women lower incidence yet higher mortality rate breast cancer compared whiteamerican women africanamerican women also higher risk earlyonset highgrade nodepositive hormone receptornegative disease similar features characterized hereditary breast cancer prompting speculation risk factors could genetically transmitted evaluation theory required study breast cancer among women subsaharan africa shared ancestry africanamerican womenpublications 1988 2004 englishlanguage literature breast cancer africa reviewedwomen subsaharan africa found low incidence breast cancer partly explained largely protective reproductive history including late menarche early menopause high parity prolonged breastfeeding irregular menses fewer ovulatory cycles average age diagnosis however approximately 10 years younger breast cancer patients western nations disease stage distribution shifted toward advanced disease resulted higher mortality rates features found similar data breast cancer africanamerican women mutations brca1 brca2 reported africanamerican women extent contribution brca1 brca2 breast cancer burden africa uncertain limited financial resources lead suboptimal cancer data collection well delayed diagnosis treatment many african breast cancer patientsparallels breast cancer burdens africanamerican subsaharanafrican women provocative indicating need exploration possible genetically transmitted features related estrogen metabolism andor breast cancer risk