In the first published study of patterns of breast cancer in British black women, available online January 8 in the British Journal of Cancer, researchers found that black women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer at a significantly younger median age than white women and had a higher frequency of higher grade tumors, estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, and basal-like (triple negative) tumors, similar to African American women.

The investigators from Cancer Research UK identified 102 black women and 191 white women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 1994 and 2005 at a hospital in East London. Black patients were diagnosed at a median age of 46, compared with a median age of 67 for white patients. An analysis of the population structures in the geographical area showed no differences between the black and white populations, "confirming that there is a true increase in the frequency of breast cancer in young black women."

Black patients also had a greater frequency of grade 3 tumors, positive lymph nodes, and ER-negative, progesterone receptor-negative, and basal-like tumors; however, only tumor grade was significantly different in all age groups. None of the results changed when adjusted for socioeconomic status.

No significant difference in overall survival was found between black patients and white patients. However, for women whose tumors were 2 centimeters in size or smaller, black patients had poorer survival. Because records showed that black women received more adjuvant therapy than white women, the authors conclude that "there is no evidence that observed differences are due to…inequalities in the receipt of therapy."

The current government breast cancer screening program in the United Kingdom begins at age 50. The authors suggest that "alterations to the screening services offered to black populations might be considered to better reflect the incidence patterns for this group."