Mammograms and Breast Cancer

Abigail Lee

Sport and Medical Sciences Academy

Capstone

Mrs. Boutilier

March 3, 2023
 Breast Cancer

Do you know anyone that has suffered from breast cancer? “Approximately 1 in 8

women (13%) will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 39 women

(3%) will die from breast cancer” (American Cancer Society, 2019-2020). If that many people

are affected directly by it imagine how many people are indirectly affected by it, just knowing

someone close to you that suffers from breast cancer. Breast cancer develops from malignant

cells forming in breast tissue, and is the most common cancer in women. There are many

different factors that contribute to risks of breast cancer mortality, like age, ethnicity/race, and

more.

Age is a big factor in breast cancer. According to the CDC it is recommended that,

“Women who are 50 to 74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram

every two years. Women who are 40 to 49 years old should talk to their doctor or other health

care provider about when to start and how often to get a mammogram” (CDC, 2022). Depending

on your age and what your doctor thinks will determine how often one should get a

mammogram, and on average women start getting a mammogram at ages 40-44. Breast cancer

death rates increase with age, “the probability of a breast cancer diagnosis is highest for women

in their 70s (4.1%), while breast cancer death is most likely among women in their 80s (1.0%)”

(American Cancer Society, 2019-2020). Studies have shown that keeping up with your

mammography can save your life by catching it early enough. “Annual screening mammography

from ages 40 to 84 years yields a mortality reduction of 40% compared to no screening. The

specific contribution to mortality reduction from annual screening ages 40 to 49 years is 12% to
29%” (CDC, 2022). Death rates are higher in breast cancer when caught later and getting

mammograms regularly will help avoid the advanced stages of breast cancer.

Race is a factor in developing breast cancer. Black women have the highest breast cancer

death rates (28.4 deaths per 100,000), but non-hispanic white women have the highest breast

cancer incidence rates (130.8 per 100,000) (American Cancer Society, 2019-2020). This shows

that white women get breast cancer more often than black women, but black women die more

often than white women, this means that they don't get the same access to treatment and

screening. Racial disparity has narrowed, but there remains a substantial gap. Black women are

getting mammograms at a lesser rate than white women, according to the National Institutes of

Health, “Black women had mammography less often than white women (9% compared with

15%).” Black women do not get the same treatment and screening or quality of treatment and

screening. Without insurance the total costs can range from $10,000 to $200,000, when you’re

insured they can cover 10-15%. Colored women are far more likely to be uninsured in America,

many states in the United States refuse to expand Medicaid.

It is clear that mammograms regularly impact the rates of reducing breast cancer, and

there are different factors contributing to the likelihood of breast cancer. The issue is everyone

doesn’t have the same access to the same care. Some big factors in developing breast cancer are

age and race. People need to get mammograms regularly starting at the age of 40-44, and

everyone should have the same access to mammograms and treatment no matter your race.
 References

What is a mammogram?: Breast cancer screening. What Is a Mammogram? | Breast Cancer

Screening. (n.d.). Retrieved March 6, 2023, from

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/mammo

grams.html

Peek, M. E., & Han, J. H. (2004, February). Disparities in screening mammography. current

status, interventions and implications. Journal of general internal medicine. Retrieved

March 6, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1492136/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 26). Basic information about

breast cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 6, 2023,

from https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/index.htm

Breast cancer facts & figures 2019-2020. Breast Cancer. (n.d.). Retrieved March 6, 2023, from

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/breast

-cancer-facts-and-figures/breast-cancer-facts-and-figures-2019-2020.pdf

Breast cancer facts & statistics for 2022. National Breast Cancer Foundation. (2023, March 28).

Retrieved March 29, 2023, from

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-facts/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 26). What is breast cancer

screening? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm#:~:text=Breast%20Cancer%
20Screening%20Recommendations&text=The%20USPSTF%20recommends%20that%2

0women,often%20to%20get%20a%20mammogram.