The medical community is finally committed to reducing disproportionate rates of cancer in Black women.
The American Cancer Society announced today a landmark new study called VOICES of Black Women, the largest behavioral and environmental study of cancer risks and outcomes for Black women in the U.S.
The society’s researchers will collect data over the course of 30 years from more than 100,000 Black women, ages 25 to 55. The enrolled participants, who must show no history of cancer at the onset, will come from diverse backgrounds and income levels from 20 states and Washington D.C., a region where a majority of the population is Black and incidents of cancer are 21.5% higher in Black people compared to white.
Throughout its 70-year history, the American Cancer Society has both funded and conducted several studies to identify cancer risks and help reduce rates of death in several populations. Despite this, Black women continue to have the highest mortality rate out of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S., the society finds — which is much cause for concern.
According to the Office of Minority Health, Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer and are 2.3 times more likely to die from stomach cancer. And per the CDC, Black people are also more likely to be diagnosed with breast, lung and colorectal cancers at a later stage. In fact, one 2021 study published in the National Library of Medicine found Black women screened for breast cancer were diagnosed at later stages with larger tumors.
Research shows that making healthy lifestyle choices and getting early cancer screenings are crucial for prevention. But further action is needed to address financial, systemic and other barriers Black women face throughout diagnoses and treatment.
As a result, researchers in the study will center Black women’s voices and experiences to uncover these unique challenges and barriers “contributing to cancer disparities and develop tailored interventions to mitigate them,” says Dr. Alpa Patel, co-principal investigator of the study and a senior vice president at the American Cancer Society. The recruitment process started last fall for the participants, who will be followed over the course of 30 years and will give updates about their health by answering short surveys via an online portal.
The study, Patel adds, represents a major step toward achieving health equity, which is “long overdue.”
