A new study found that breast cancer deaths are increasingly affecting younger women, while survival rates have improved among older women.
Young Black women with triple-negative breast cancer remain the highest-risk group, but researchers also identified elevated risks among some younger Hispanic and Asian women.
Researchers say age, race, and tumor subtype should be considered together to better identify women who may face higher risks.
Breast cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among women in the United States, but researchers have increasingly recognized that not all patients face the same risks. Factors such as age, race, ethnicity, and tumor subtype can influence both treatment outcomes and survival rates.
To better understand how these patterns have changed over time, researchers at Houston Methodist conducted a large-scale analysis of breast cancer trends spanning nearly 50 years.
Their goal was to determine whether certain groups have benefited more than others from advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment, and to identify populations that may continue to face elevated risks.
How the study was conducted
The researchers analyzed data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, a national cancer registry that tracks cancer incidence and outcomes across the United States. The study covered the period from 1975 through 2022.
Using this extensive dataset, the team evaluated breast cancer incidence, mortality, and survival trends among women of different ages and racial and ethnic backgrounds. They also examined outcomes according to molecular subtypes of breast cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer, which is often associated with poorer outcomes and fewer targeted treatment options.
Rather than looking at age, race, ethnicity, or tumor subtype independently, the researchers analyzed how these factors interact with one another. This approach allowed them to identify patterns that may be missed when each factor is studied separately.
What the researchers found
The analysis revealed a notable shift in breast cancer mortality patterns over time. While older women have experienced substantial improvements in survival, younger women are accounting for a growing proportion of breast cancer deaths.
“Rising mortality among younger women alongside improved survival in older women shows how breast cancer risk is shifting,” researcher Stephen Wong, Ph.D., said in a news release. “Importantly, we found that Asian women under 50 experience poorer outcomes and face elevated risk of mortality than previously recorded.”
Researchers also found significant differences among racial and ethnic groups. Young Black women with triple-negative breast cancer continued to experience the highest mortality risk. However, the study also identified elevated mortality risks among younger Hispanic and Asian women with certain breast cancer subtypes, particularly triple-negative disease.
According to the researchers, these findings suggest that age, race, ethnicity, and tumor biology should be considered together when assessing breast cancer risk and outcomes. The results highlight persistent disparities and may help guide future research aimed at improving detection, treatment, and survival for populations facing the greatest challenges.
“Age, race and tumor type should not be treated as separate issues as they interact to drive these disparities,” said first author Lin Wang, research fellow in the Wong Laboratory at Houston Methodist. “When we look at them together, we uncover risks that would otherwise remain hidden.”