Treatment choices and response rates in African-American women with breast carcinoma

Background: Breast cancer mortality rates are higher among African-American women compared with white American women, yet little is known regarding ethnicity-related variation in patterns of primary surgical treatment, locoregional recurrence rates, and response to induction chemotherapy.

Methods: The available literature was reviewed to evaluate outcome from breast-conservation therapy in African-American women and response rates to systemic therapy.

Results: Breast-conservation therapy appears to be underused among African-American women, a pattern that is noted also among white women with breast carcinoma. Higher rates of locoregional recurrence are seen among African-American women regardless of whether they receive breast-conserving treatment or undergo mastectomy, and this appears to be a function of primary tumor biology. Response rates to appropriately delivered systemic therapy are similar for African-American patients and white patients.

Conclusions: Despite the apparent increased aggressiveness of disease seen in African-American women with breast carcinoma, patterns of response to local and systemic therapy are similar to the patterns seen in white women with breast carcinoma.