Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsThe FactsTypesSymptomsCausesRacial DisparitiesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
The Facts
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Racial Disparities
Diagnosis
Treatment
This article is part ofBreast Cancer in Black Women, a destination in our Health Divide series.
Black women have the lowest breast cancer survival rate, regardless of the stage at diagnosis. And while breast cancer occurs less often (about 5% less than in White women), it is 38% more likely to prove fatal among Black women, according to 2024 data from the American Cancer Society.It’s not just women: Black males have the highest breast cancer death rate among males, too.
The most common first symptom is a breast lump.Let your healthcare provider know right away, even though many possible causes are benign (not cancer). Early diagnosis and treatment can affect the outcome, and breast cancer often affects younger Black women who may not consider breast cancer a likely cause.Barriers to care continue for Black women, so it’s important to be an informed advocate.
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.Sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. People are most often assigned male or female at birth based on their external anatomy; some people do not fit into that sex binary and are intersex.Gender describes a person’s internal sense of self as a woman, man, nonbinary person, or another gender, and the associated social and cultural ideas about roles, behaviors, expressions, and characteristics.Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. For example, terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate.To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.Sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. People are most often assigned male or female at birth based on their external anatomy; some people do not fit into that sex binary and are intersex.Gender describes a person’s internal sense of self as a woman, man, nonbinary person, or another gender, and the associated social and cultural ideas about roles, behaviors, expressions, and characteristics.Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. For example, terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate.To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.
Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. For example, terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate.To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Black Women and Breast Cancer: The Facts
For Black women, the rate of 26.8 deaths per 100,000 is higher than any ethnic group. Younger Black women are especially at risk. The incidence of breast cancer in females younger than age 50 has been rising.
Researchers continue to explore reasons for the disparities that affect Black women, including:
Overall, the breast cancer fatality rate peaked in 1989 and has dropped 44% since then, primarily due to advances in diagnosis and treatment.Yet the positive effects have not equally benefited all groups.
Types of Breast Cancer
Two types of invasive breast cancer disproportionately impact Black women: triple-negative breast cancer and inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). With these types:
Dimpling of the skin, which is sometimes called peau d’orange (French for “the skin of an orange”), is a classic sign of inflammatory breast cancer. IBC develops rapidly, blocking lymphatic vessels in the breast, resulting in red, swollen, and tender breasts.
Statistics show that the five-year survival rate for Black women with IBC is lower than it is for White women regardless of the cancer’s hormone receptor status and the patient’s age.
Other types of breast cancer include:
HR+/HER2- SubtypeHR+/HER2- subtype is the most common. When treated before it has spread, it can have a 100% five-year survival rate. Yet Black women with this diagnosis have worse outcomes than any other ethnic group. Researchers say race (not other variables) is the reason and studies need to include more people of color to find out why.
HR+/HER2- Subtype
HR+/HER2- subtype is the most common. When treated before it has spread, it can have a 100% five-year survival rate. Yet Black women with this diagnosis have worse outcomes than any other ethnic group. Researchers say race (not other variables) is the reason and studies need to include more people of color to find out why.
Breast cancer usually does not have any symptoms in its early stages when the tumor is small and hard to notice. This stage is also when breast cancer will be easiest to treat, which is why screening mammograms are important. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammograms every other year from ages 40 to 74.
Some changes to your breast tissue can be a sign of cancer and are something that you should not ignore. These include:
Inflammatory breast cancer can present with symptoms that mimic an infection. If you experience painful swelling, darkening, or redness in the breast, contact a healthcare provider immediately to avoid life-threatening complications.
Certain breast cancer risk factors like smoking, alcohol use, or being diagnosed as overweight or obese may be modified, while factors like older age or being female cannot. Some known risk factors for breast cancer also include:
Environmental exposures may be a factor. One area of interest is stricter regulation of the ingredients used in cosmetic products, such as hair dyes and straighteners.
Some preliminary research has shown that there might be a link between these products and breast cancer risk.The marketing campaigns often target Black women.
Black women are least likely to receive an early-stage diagnosis than counterparts from other racial and ethnic groups.According to the American Cancer Society, 68% of White women are diagnosed with breast cancer when it is at an early stage compared to only 58% of Black women.
Factors for why Black women may not receive the care they need:
Other factors may include age, income, lack of transportation or child care, and immigration status.
Promising recent data suggest that 73% of Black women had a mammogram screening within the two-year study period.Yet studies suggest they are less likely to have high-quality screenings and follow-up care when results are concerning.
The few studies that have assessed the racial disparities in breast cancer diagnosis only looked at system delays—which means that delays in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in Black people may be underreported.
Patient delayis a term used to describe the time that elapses from symptom development or self-detection to medical consultation, whereassystem delaydescribes the time that elapses from consultation to diagnosis.
Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Black women, and since 2019 has become the most fatal type of cancer in Black women, surpassing even lung cancer.
Black women are more likely to have more aggressive, treatment-resistant forms of breast cancer like triple-negative and inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). They are also diagnosed at a younger age.
Breast cancer is typically detected in one of three scenarios:
A healthcare provider will take a detailed health history and do a clinical breast exam. They might also order additional tests—like a mammogram, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—to figure out what the breast lump is.
Questions Your Healthcare Provider May AskWhen did you first notice the lump?Is the lump in one breast or both breasts?Can you feel the lump if you change positions (such as going from lying down to standing, or sitting to standing)?What does the lump feel like (hard, tender, firm)?Have you noticed any areas of swelling near the breast or armpit?Is the lump fixed in one place or does it move?Does the lump correlate with your menstrual cycle?Have you experienced associated symptoms like breast pain, fever, or unexplained weight loss?Do you have a personal or family history of cancer (especially anyone in the family who has been found to have either a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation)?
Questions Your Healthcare Provider May Ask
When did you first notice the lump?Is the lump in one breast or both breasts?Can you feel the lump if you change positions (such as going from lying down to standing, or sitting to standing)?What does the lump feel like (hard, tender, firm)?Have you noticed any areas of swelling near the breast or armpit?Is the lump fixed in one place or does it move?Does the lump correlate with your menstrual cycle?Have you experienced associated symptoms like breast pain, fever, or unexplained weight loss?Do you have a personal or family history of cancer (especially anyone in the family who has been found to have either a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation)?
Most lumps that are identified during a self-exam and assessed on a mammogram turn out to be noncancerous. If cancer is suspected, a biopsy will need to be done.
The two most commonbiopsy typesare a fine-needle biopsy and a larger core-needle biopsy, although some conditions require a surgical biopsy. The type of biopsy used will depend on the size and location of the mass, as well as patient factors, patient preferences, and resources.
Breast cancer treatmentwill depend on factors that include the stage of the cancer, its subtype, and your overall health history. It may require chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery.
Local treatment options include surgical removal of breast tissue and radiation therapy. These are the most commonly performed procedures in breast cancer patients and are often used together.
Depending on the type of breast cancer and how advanced it is, you may need additional treatments that kill cancer throughout the body (systemic treatment).
Examples of systemic treatments for breast cancer include:
To advocate for your own care, be sure to:
Cancer Care TeamA team of healthcare professionals is needed to manage your cancer treatment. An oncologist (a specialist in cancer treatment) will lead the care team and manage your care. They will share pertinent information with your primary care provider. A plastic surgeon might also be brought into your care team if you are interested in breast reconstruction surgery after having a partial or full mastectomy.
Cancer Care Team
A team of healthcare professionals is needed to manage your cancer treatment. An oncologist (a specialist in cancer treatment) will lead the care team and manage your care. They will share pertinent information with your primary care provider. A plastic surgeon might also be brought into your care team if you are interested in breast reconstruction surgery after having a partial or full mastectomy.
Summary
Black women face a high risk of a breast cancer diagnosis, especially some of the most aggressive cancer subtypes. Breast cancer in Black women is more often fatal than in other ethnic groups.
Biased healthcare delivery, medical mistrust, and targeted marketing of potentially dangerous cosmetic problems are also barriers that Black women face. More inclusive research is needed to bridge the gaps in understanding the race-associated differences that exist.
18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2024-2025.University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Breast cancer symptoms.Nicot-Cartsonis MS, Digbeu BDE, Raji MA, Kuo YF.Disparities in Late-Stage Breast and Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis Among Hispanic, Non-Hispanic White, and Non-Hispanic Black Patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study of Texas Medicare Beneficiaries.J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Dec;10(6):3168-3177. doi:10.1007/s40615-022-01491-4.DeSantis CE, Ma J, Gaudet MM, et al.Breast cancer statistics, 2019.CA A Cancer J Clin.2019;69(6):438-451. doi:10.3322/caac.21583Parab AZ, Kong A, Lee TA, Kim K, Nutescu EA, Malecki KC,et al.Socioecologic Factors and Racial Differences in Breast Cancer Multigene Prognostic Scores in US Women.JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Apr 1;7(4):e244862. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4862American Cancer Society.Types of breast cancer.American Cancer Society.Inflammatory Breast Cancer.Abraham HG, Xia Y, Mukherjee B, Merajver SD.Incidence and survival of inflammatory breast cancer between 1973 and 2015 in the SEER database.Breast Cancer Res Treat.2021;185:229–238. doi:10.1007/s10549-020-05938-2Chainitikun S, Saleem S, Lim B, Valero V, Ueno NT.Update on systemic treatment for newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer.J Adv Res. 2021;29:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jare.2020.08.014Emory University.Study finds Black women have worst HR+/HER2- breast cancer outcomes of all racial and ethnic groups.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Breast cancer: screening.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What are the symptoms of breast cancer?Breast Cancer Network Australia.Risk Factors.Eberle CE, Sandler DP, Taylor KW, White AJ.Hair dye and chemical straightener use and breast cancer risk in a large US population of black and white women.Int J Cancer. 2020 Jul 15;147(2):383-391. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32738Susan G. Komen Foundation.How Do Breast Cancer Screening Rates Compare Among Different Groups in the U.S.?Karliner LS, Kaplan C, Livaudais-Toman J, Kerlikowske K.Mammography facilities serving vulnerable women have longer follow-up times.Health Serv Res. 2019 Feb;54 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):226-233. doi:10.1111/1475-6773.13083Giaquinto AN, Miller KD, Tossas KY, Winn RA, Jemal A, Siegel RL.Cancer statistics for African American/Black People 2022.CA Cancer J Clin. 2022 May;72(3):202-229. doi:10.3322/caac.21718American Cancer Society.Treating breast cancer.
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2024-2025.University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Breast cancer symptoms.Nicot-Cartsonis MS, Digbeu BDE, Raji MA, Kuo YF.Disparities in Late-Stage Breast and Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis Among Hispanic, Non-Hispanic White, and Non-Hispanic Black Patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study of Texas Medicare Beneficiaries.J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Dec;10(6):3168-3177. doi:10.1007/s40615-022-01491-4.DeSantis CE, Ma J, Gaudet MM, et al.Breast cancer statistics, 2019.CA A Cancer J Clin.2019;69(6):438-451. doi:10.3322/caac.21583Parab AZ, Kong A, Lee TA, Kim K, Nutescu EA, Malecki KC,et al.Socioecologic Factors and Racial Differences in Breast Cancer Multigene Prognostic Scores in US Women.JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Apr 1;7(4):e244862. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4862American Cancer Society.Types of breast cancer.American Cancer Society.Inflammatory Breast Cancer.Abraham HG, Xia Y, Mukherjee B, Merajver SD.Incidence and survival of inflammatory breast cancer between 1973 and 2015 in the SEER database.Breast Cancer Res Treat.2021;185:229–238. doi:10.1007/s10549-020-05938-2Chainitikun S, Saleem S, Lim B, Valero V, Ueno NT.Update on systemic treatment for newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer.J Adv Res. 2021;29:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jare.2020.08.014Emory University.Study finds Black women have worst HR+/HER2- breast cancer outcomes of all racial and ethnic groups.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Breast cancer: screening.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What are the symptoms of breast cancer?Breast Cancer Network Australia.Risk Factors.Eberle CE, Sandler DP, Taylor KW, White AJ.Hair dye and chemical straightener use and breast cancer risk in a large US population of black and white women.Int J Cancer. 2020 Jul 15;147(2):383-391. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32738Susan G. Komen Foundation.How Do Breast Cancer Screening Rates Compare Among Different Groups in the U.S.?Karliner LS, Kaplan C, Livaudais-Toman J, Kerlikowske K.Mammography facilities serving vulnerable women have longer follow-up times.Health Serv Res. 2019 Feb;54 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):226-233. doi:10.1111/1475-6773.13083Giaquinto AN, Miller KD, Tossas KY, Winn RA, Jemal A, Siegel RL.Cancer statistics for African American/Black People 2022.CA Cancer J Clin. 2022 May;72(3):202-229. doi:10.3322/caac.21718American Cancer Society.Treating breast cancer.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2024-2025.University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Breast cancer symptoms.Nicot-Cartsonis MS, Digbeu BDE, Raji MA, Kuo YF.Disparities in Late-Stage Breast and Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis Among Hispanic, Non-Hispanic White, and Non-Hispanic Black Patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study of Texas Medicare Beneficiaries.J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Dec;10(6):3168-3177. doi:10.1007/s40615-022-01491-4.DeSantis CE, Ma J, Gaudet MM, et al.Breast cancer statistics, 2019.CA A Cancer J Clin.2019;69(6):438-451. doi:10.3322/caac.21583Parab AZ, Kong A, Lee TA, Kim K, Nutescu EA, Malecki KC,et al.Socioecologic Factors and Racial Differences in Breast Cancer Multigene Prognostic Scores in US Women.JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Apr 1;7(4):e244862. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4862American Cancer Society.Types of breast cancer.American Cancer Society.Inflammatory Breast Cancer.Abraham HG, Xia Y, Mukherjee B, Merajver SD.Incidence and survival of inflammatory breast cancer between 1973 and 2015 in the SEER database.Breast Cancer Res Treat.2021;185:229–238. doi:10.1007/s10549-020-05938-2Chainitikun S, Saleem S, Lim B, Valero V, Ueno NT.Update on systemic treatment for newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer.J Adv Res. 2021;29:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jare.2020.08.014Emory University.Study finds Black women have worst HR+/HER2- breast cancer outcomes of all racial and ethnic groups.U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Breast cancer: screening.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What are the symptoms of breast cancer?Breast Cancer Network Australia.Risk Factors.Eberle CE, Sandler DP, Taylor KW, White AJ.Hair dye and chemical straightener use and breast cancer risk in a large US population of black and white women.Int J Cancer. 2020 Jul 15;147(2):383-391. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32738Susan G. Komen Foundation.How Do Breast Cancer Screening Rates Compare Among Different Groups in the U.S.?Karliner LS, Kaplan C, Livaudais-Toman J, Kerlikowske K.Mammography facilities serving vulnerable women have longer follow-up times.Health Serv Res. 2019 Feb;54 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):226-233. doi:10.1111/1475-6773.13083Giaquinto AN, Miller KD, Tossas KY, Winn RA, Jemal A, Siegel RL.Cancer statistics for African American/Black People 2022.CA Cancer J Clin. 2022 May;72(3):202-229. doi:10.3322/caac.21718American Cancer Society.Treating breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2024-2025.
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Breast cancer symptoms.
Nicot-Cartsonis MS, Digbeu BDE, Raji MA, Kuo YF.Disparities in Late-Stage Breast and Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis Among Hispanic, Non-Hispanic White, and Non-Hispanic Black Patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study of Texas Medicare Beneficiaries.J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Dec;10(6):3168-3177. doi:10.1007/s40615-022-01491-4.
DeSantis CE, Ma J, Gaudet MM, et al.Breast cancer statistics, 2019.CA A Cancer J Clin.2019;69(6):438-451. doi:10.3322/caac.21583
Parab AZ, Kong A, Lee TA, Kim K, Nutescu EA, Malecki KC,et al.Socioecologic Factors and Racial Differences in Breast Cancer Multigene Prognostic Scores in US Women.JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Apr 1;7(4):e244862. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4862
American Cancer Society.Types of breast cancer.
American Cancer Society.Inflammatory Breast Cancer.
Abraham HG, Xia Y, Mukherjee B, Merajver SD.Incidence and survival of inflammatory breast cancer between 1973 and 2015 in the SEER database.Breast Cancer Res Treat.2021;185:229–238. doi:10.1007/s10549-020-05938-2
Chainitikun S, Saleem S, Lim B, Valero V, Ueno NT.Update on systemic treatment for newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancer.J Adv Res. 2021;29:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jare.2020.08.014
Emory University.Study finds Black women have worst HR+/HER2- breast cancer outcomes of all racial and ethnic groups.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Breast cancer: screening.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
Breast Cancer Network Australia.Risk Factors.
Eberle CE, Sandler DP, Taylor KW, White AJ.Hair dye and chemical straightener use and breast cancer risk in a large US population of black and white women.Int J Cancer. 2020 Jul 15;147(2):383-391. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32738
Susan G. Komen Foundation.How Do Breast Cancer Screening Rates Compare Among Different Groups in the U.S.?
Karliner LS, Kaplan C, Livaudais-Toman J, Kerlikowske K.Mammography facilities serving vulnerable women have longer follow-up times.Health Serv Res. 2019 Feb;54 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):226-233. doi:10.1111/1475-6773.13083
Giaquinto AN, Miller KD, Tossas KY, Winn RA, Jemal A, Siegel RL.Cancer statistics for African American/Black People 2022.CA Cancer J Clin. 2022 May;72(3):202-229. doi:10.3322/caac.21718
American Cancer Society.Treating breast cancer.
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