news Archives

Genetic risk score predicts metastatic and fatal prostate cancer in diverse men

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

A scoring algorithm using 290 genetic variants linked to prostate cancer accurately predicted the risk of developing or dying of metastatic prostate cancer among more than half a million military veterans in a study led by Meghana Pagadala (above) of the University of California San Diego. Men in the highest 20 percent of the scores, […]

Genetic risk score predicts metastatic and fatal prostate cancer in diverse men Read More »

Centralized lung cancer screening programs more effective for Black patients

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

Blacks referred to a dedicated lung cancer screening program, instead of to a general radiology department, are more likely to follow up positive screening results and more likely to continue undergoing annual screening. Dedicated or centralized programs actively recruit and guide patients through the entire screening and followup process. In a study of more than

Centralized lung cancer screening programs more effective for Black patients Read More »

DNA damage repair genes behave differently in Black and White women with breast cancer

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

Differences in the expression of DNA repair genes may help to explain why breast cancer mortality is higher in black women than white women. Researchers compared tumour samples from 144 black women and 703 white women diagnosed with breast cancer, looking at the expression of 104 DNA repair genes previously shown to affect responses to

DNA damage repair genes behave differently in Black and White women with breast cancer Read More »

Cardiovascular risk factors more prevalent among Black women with triple-negative breast cancer

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

In a study of 121 women with triple-negative breast cancer, Black women were younger (by an average of 4 years) and more likely to be obese and have high blood pressure compared with White women. This higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors could put them at higher risk for cardiotoxicity from chemotherapy, according to researchers

Cardiovascular risk factors more prevalent among Black women with triple-negative breast cancer Read More »

Intervention program speeds up lung cancer surgery for Black patients

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

A multi-faceted intervention cut the time from diagnosis of lung cancer to surgery by about two weeks for Black patients. Historically, Black patients are less likely than Whites to be treated with surgery for lung cancer and if they do have surgery, they wait an average of a week longer, which reduces their odds of

Intervention program speeds up lung cancer surgery for Black patients Read More »

Breast cancer surpasses lung as top cause of cancer death among Black women

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

Breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-associated death among Black women in the U.S. Black women are at lower risk for a breast cancer diagnosis but 41% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women, according to the new Cancer Statistics for African American/Black People 2022. Within the

Breast cancer surpasses lung as top cause of cancer death among Black women Read More »

Medicare lowers starting age to 50 for free lung cancer screening

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded eligibility for people with Medicare to get free lung cancer screening with low dose computed tomography (LCDT) by lowering the starting age for screening to 50 years and reducing the tobacco smoking history from at least 30 packs per year to at least 20 packs

Medicare lowers starting age to 50 for free lung cancer screening Read More »

Endometrial cancer deaths now even with deaths from ovarian cancer

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

Uterine (endometrial) cancer has pulled even with ovarian cancer as a leading cause of gynecologic cancer mortality, accompanied by an “alarming” racial disparity, reports Rebecca Siegel (above) of the American Cancer Society and her colleagues. Mortality patterns were similar among racial and ethnic groups until 2005, when uterine cancer mortality increased dramatically in Black women,

Endometrial cancer deaths now even with deaths from ovarian cancer Read More »

Culturally-tailored patient program can improve rate of colorectal cancer screening among Hispanic adults

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

Colorectal cancer screening rates are low in Hispanic adults, but the rate nearly doubled in an experimental program in Rhode Island that helped patients navigate the medical system, says researcher Saied Calvino, MD (above). Individuals first received an introductory letter in Spanish, followed by a phone call from a culturally competent, Spanish-speaking patient navigator. Some

Culturally-tailored patient program can improve rate of colorectal cancer screening among Hispanic adults Read More »

First generation able to get HPV vaccine now entering age when many HPV-caused cancers are first detected

Leave a Comment / news / By Disparity Matters

The generation first to have the HPV vaccine available are now entering their late 20s and early 30s, the age when many HPV-caused cancers are first detected. While other countries have nearly eliminated cervical cancer, the U.S. is not seeing this trend due to a far lower immunization rate. Here, vaccination remains up to individual

First generation able to get HPV vaccine now entering age when many HPV-caused cancers are first detected Read More »