A risk prediction model for breast cancer in U.S. Black women, suitable for use in primary care settings, has been developed and evaluated by researchers at Boston University.
“Because U.S. Black women have a disproportionately high rate of breast cancer deaths, improvement in early detection of breast cancer in this population is critical, especially in young Black women who have not yet reached the ages at which mammographic screening is typically begun,” says study co-author Julie Palmer (above).
“This new tool for personalized prediction of breast cancer risk in Black women can be easily used by primary care providers to guide screening recommendations and/or referral for genetic testing, particularly for young Black women, thus leading to earlier diagnosis and reduced mortality,” says Palmer. Women can also use the tool themselves and input their own information to calculate their five-year breast cancer risk.
- See “Researchers Develop Breast Cancer Prediction Tool for Black Women” on the Boston University School of Public Health website (October 22, 2021)
- See the abstract of the scientific paper “A Validated Risk Prediction Model for Breast Cancer in US Black Women” by Julie R Palmer et al.
