Rates of endometrial cancer are rising, particularly amongst Black women, according to a newly released report.
Published in scientific journal Cancer Discovery, the researchers of the paper reported that the rate of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer has doubled since 1987. Whereas there was a reported 35,000 annual cases then, the rate has now increased exponentially to over 66,000 cases.
The reported cases of endometrial cancer amongst Black women have increased the most as they’ve risen at a speed that was one and a half times more than that of white women.
When they’re diagnosed, Black women have deadlier types of cancer. In another study published in November of this year, the researchers found that Black women had worse forms of cancers that were harder to treat.
Almost 70% of Black women were found to have the more aggressive form of endometrial cancer known as copy number-high or TP53 abnormal or CN-H/TP53abn. The rate was double that of white women, of which 35% were diagnosed with this type of cancer.
Black women were also found to have the MSI-H subtype at lower rates; this subtype is the one that benefits from immunotherapy.
Black women are nearly twice as likely to die from #EndometrialCancer as white women.
— Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (@MSKCancerCenter) June 20, 2022
MSK launched the Endometrial Cancer Equity Program to help reduce this disparity and has since reached hundreds of women around NYC to educate them about their risk. https://t.co/FkS4gvixdX
“The difference between Black and white patients is really striking,” said researcher Dr. Britta Wigelt, PhD. per a press release.
In general, Black patients are most at risk for cancer death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overall, Black patients have the highest death rates across all types of cancer and have a lower chance of surviving past the 5-year mark than white patients do.
Despite the higher rates of cancer, the cost of treatment is higher for Black Americans, particularly for survivors.
Amongst young Black patients with cancer, an average of $535 per year was paid out of pocket for cancer treatment while an average of $885 was paid out of pocket by older Black patients, according to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. The expenses continued even after they received treatment.
Due to the higher costs, 53% of Black patients from the ages of 18 to 64 reported that they worry about paying potential medical bills if they get sick and 30% said that they had issues paying medical bills in the past year.
To help combat the issue, the ACS CAN recommends expanding Medicaid across the last 12 states that still don’t offer it.
“This is the Medicaid coverage gap – 60% of these uninsured individuals are people of color, and the vast majority live in the American South, which includes a large Black/African American population,” said the ACS CAN per a report. “All states should expand Medicaid, and Congress must close the coverage gap for lower income Americans who live in states that have failed to expand.”
