Dr. Vivian Bea Shares Important Facts Black Women Should Know About Breast Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and is now the leading cause of cancer death, for Black women.

 Dr. Vivian Bea, director of the breast program at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and an assistant professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine, suggests there are “multiple reasons contribute to breast cancer disparities, and a nog one is inconsistencies in breast cancer screening recommendations.”

1. Know The Facts

Research indicates that genetics may play a part in this higher risk disparity, and the risk may differ depending on a Black woman’s ancestry, specifically in cases of triple-negative breast cancer. Black women are more likely to have triple-negative breast cancer, a rarer but more aggressive form that does not respond to hormonal treatment. According to the American Cancer Society, triple-negative breast cancer is about twice as common in Black women than white women in the U.S., and a contributor to the lower breast cancer survival rate among Black patients. “It’s important that Black women know their risk for breast cancer, so that they can educate themselves and be proactive about their health,” says Dr. Bea.

2. Get Screened — and Bring a Friend

Early detection is the best protection. “Even though Black women are more likely to have triple-negative breast cancer, if we catch these women at the earliest stage of that breast cancer, there is a better chance for survival,” says Dr. Bea.

Dr. Bea says it’s essential that Black women get screened early.

“Black women are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age with the more aggressive tumor subtype, so I recommend that Black women have a risk assessment completed at age 25 — and definitely by age 30 — by a breast expert and, if possible, one who has experience in treating diverse populations,” Dr. Bea says.

She follows guidelines that recommend that average-risk women start screening at age 40. “For patients who are at high risk for breast cancer based on a risk assessment, screening should start before the age of 40,” says Dr. Bea.

3. Don’t Believe Myths

There is understandably a lot of fear around a breast cancer diagnosis, but it is important to be aware of the many advances made in care. For example, Dr. Bea says some patients have expressed concern that if they receive a diagnosis of cancer and have surgery, the surgery could cause the cancer to spread. “This is false,” she says.

Women may believe that surgeons will have to remove their breasts, which is also not true. “We can offer modern approaches to breast surgery, such as lumpectomy or breast-conserving surgery, which only removes a portion of the breast,” says Dr. Bea. “Those myths may be widening the gap of women not getting their mammograms right now. But it’s important to remember early detection saves lives.”

4. Know Your Breasts

Dr. Bea encourages women to do a breast self-exam every month. “If there is an abnormality, you’d be the first to detect it,” she says. Signs to look for include nipple discharge, a palpable mass (a lump), or any skin changes. “If you’ve never had eczema, a condition that makes your skin red and itchy, in your life, and you see skin changes on your breast, do not assume it’s eczema. Go and see your provider,” she advises.