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Opinions are the writer’s own and not those of Blavity's.
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Fact: Breast cancer has overtaken lung cancer as the world’s most commonly diagnosed cancer.
But disparities in breast health show alarming differences among populations and demographics, like incidence, survival and mortality rates between social and ethnic groups. In fact, incidences of breast cancer cases are generally higher in high-income countries, but women have a much greater risk of dying from this disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to late diagnosis and limited access to treatment and care. Furthermore, in the U.S., despite our status as a high-income country and the progress that Black women have made in terms of social, economic and political power, that progress has not yet translated into gains in healthcare and health outcomes for Black women.
In the U.S., breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women. While Black women have historically had lower rates of breast cancer incidences, they’ve had the higher death rates. In recent decades, the incidence rates of breast cancer among Black women have increased, while having stabilized or decreased among white women. Today, Black women in the U.S. are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women.
These statistics are jarring and another example of the endemic health inequities that beg for rectification. Eliminating the health disparities that exist in breast care should be a global priority. A recent report by the Susan G. Komen organization found that Black women experience higher rates of death from breast cancer due to a combination of factors, including barriers to early diagnosis of the disease as well as a fair amount of confusion around what guidelines they should follow (i.e., at what age should they start getting screening, what details within their family history can be contributing risk factors and what sorts of questions to ask their physician).
Amidst all that we have to address, there are only a few conditions that we can quickly impact, chief among them being ameliorating the screening process. It pleases me to see the new advancements in breast examination technology that is now available to help improve patient outcomes.
Identifying Gaps In Access To Technology For Screening, Follow-Up And Treatment
Patient access to innovative technologies to improve care and outcomes also differs by geographic location, even within higher-income countries, according to Dr. Sonali Johnson from the Union for International Cancer Control during a recent GE Healthcare webinar. The key to collectively moving forward on a path to improved outcomes begins with better screening. New innovations in breast imaging that can be made broadly available to institutions may help mitigate some of the behavioral barriers, fear and anxiety that many women face with preparing for and waiting for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test results.
The time is now to proceed forward with accessible, easy-to-implement, precise and less invasive imaging technology like GE Healthcare’s SenoBright HD contrast-enhanced spectral mammography, which can more effectively and quickly inform HCPs on potential breast cancers, and then who can provide answers to patients sooner. It’s keeping the patient's concerns in mind that SenoBright was born. This state-of-the-art technology is accessible, accurate, efficient and faster than current MRI technology, helping to reduce the incidences of false-positives and prevent the need for unnecessary exams.
Pursuing health equity in breast care is a commitment to strive for the highest possible standard of health for all people, giving special attention to the needs of those at greatest risk. Whether it’s improving access to care, removing social determinants, sharing scientific information across the globe or rethinking patient communications, enabling technology to all or removing the barriers that exist in women’s health, clinicians believe that improved patient outcomes are a moral imperative.
By alleviating some of the challenges with existing breast imaging techniques and taking actions that help allay women’s concerns around screening — a critical first step toward making breast cancer prevalence a thing of our past, not future — we are taking the necessary actions to help bridge the gaps in healthcare and create a more balanced and equitable future for all women.
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Catherine Lezy is the General Manager Mammography, Women's Health at GE Healthcare.
