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Breast Cancer Screening Patterns Among Military Beneficiaries: Racial Variations in Screening Eliminated in an Equal-Access Model

  • Breast Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

African American women present with more aggressive breast tumors and at later stages than white women. Many factors have been proposed to explain these findings, including socioeconomic status, cultural beliefs, and access to medical care. The purpose of this project was to determine if stage at presentation would be equivalent in a system providing equal access to care and if screening was equivalent.

Methods

The Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) tumor registry from 2007 to 2012 was queried for this cross-sectional study. Eligible women included all those diagnosed and treated for breast cancer at NMCSD. Distribution of tumor stage (early vs. advanced) between racial groups was compared by age, treatment, and receptor status.

Results

A total of 624 women were eligible; 88 % were early stage (0–II) and 12 % presented with advanced stage (III or IV). Racial differences in distribution were significant among African American and Hispanic women for early versus advanced presentation (p = 0.011). No racial disparity was seen in screening patterns among women.

Conclusions

In a military health system with equal access to care and standard screening recommendations, screening patterns did not vary with race but did vary with stage and active duty status. African American women present with breast cancer at later stages and with more hormone-receptor negative tumors, suggesting that biology rather than socioeconomic or access factors may be the most important determinant of stage at presentation of breast cancer for African American women.

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Acknowledgment

This research was supported by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. The authors thank Cara Olsen, Robert Riffenburgh, Preston Gable, and Henry Ciaralli for their help and support. The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92134, USA

    Tawakalitu O. Oseni MD

  2. Department of Surgery, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Peter W. Soballe MD

Authors
  1. Tawakalitu O. Oseni MD
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  2. Peter W. Soballe MD
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Correspondence to Tawakalitu O. Oseni MD.

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Oseni, T.O., Soballe, P.W. Breast Cancer Screening Patterns Among Military Beneficiaries: Racial Variations in Screening Eliminated in an Equal-Access Model. Ann Surg Oncol 21, 3336–3341 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-014-3961-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-014-3961-6

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