The Ethnicity of Breast Cancer: Cultural Discrepancies in Diagnosis and Treatment Decision

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among American women, yet despite its substantial impact, disparities exist among women of differing ethnic backgrounds in diagnosis and treatment decisions; culture plays a critical role in the breast cancer experience of women of Latina, Caucasian, and African-American descent. African-American and Latina women are more likely than Caucasian women to be under-diagnosed at an early age and to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage, while Latina and African-American women are less likely than Caucasian women to choose more aggressive forms of treatment. Discrepancies in diagnosis may be the result of cultural factors in access to healthcare, quality of healthcare, or adequacy and availability of information on breast cancer. Disparities in physician-patient relationships and the role of family in making medical decisions affect a patient's choice for treatment, and are prominent reasons for the variance in treatment decisions observed across ethnic groups and the corresponding differences in mortality rates. Several studies examining ethnic differences and factors in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment were reviewed. The results of this review indicate a need to account for cultural factors in the breast healthcare of women; such factors significantly affect the experiences of women of differing ethnic groups with breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Breast Cancer
• Cultural Disparities
• Treatment Decision
• Cancer Diagnosis
• Women's Health