Current breast cancer treatments appear to be equally effective for African American women and Caucasian women. There are no data to suggest that any treatments are more effective for African American women, but there may be some barriers to appropriate treatment. There has been an increase in the past several years in the number of women receiving regular breast cancer screening with clinical breast exams by their doctors and mammograms. However, African American women have fewer mammograms than Caucasian women. Researchers have shown that African American women who have regular mammograms have the same excellent chances of surviving breast cancer as all other groups of women.
Mammograms detect breast cancers at a much earlier stage that breast examinations alone.
These early tumors can be more easily treated and are more likely to be cured. All states and territories of the United States have programs that cover the cost of mammograms if your insurance does not.