Method of Detection of Breast Cancer in Low-income Women

Overview

Journal J Womens Health (Larchmt)

Specialty Gynecology & Obstetrics

Date 2009 Dec 3

PMID 19951215

Citations 9

Authors

Amardeep Thind

Allison Diamant

Lalima Hoq

Rose Maly

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women, and its timely diagnosis and treatment are of paramount importance, especially for vulnerable groups, such as low-income and uninsured women. Recent literature confirms that the method of breast cancer detection may be an important prognostic factor, but there are no studies that examine the method of breast cancer detection in low-income populations. We sought to analyze the determinants of method of detection (medical vs. self) in a cohort of low-income women with breast cancer receiving care through California's Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey analysis of 921 low-income women interviewed within 6 months of definitive surgical treatment. The outcome analyzed was self vs. medical detection of breast cancer.

Results: The mean age of the women was 53 years, with nearly 88% reporting an income of <$30,000 per year; 64% of women self-detected their breast cancer. Logistic regression analyses revealed that older women, Latinas, and women having any health insurance before diagnosis had lower odds of self-detecting their lesions.

Conclusions: Patient age, ethnicity, and regular source of care were associated with method of breast cancer detection in a low-income underserved population. The rate of self-detection in our population correlates with the literature, but we need to improve efforts to increase mammography screening to ensure early detection of disease in this vulnerable group.

Citing Articles

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The Efficacy of Clinical Breast Exams and Breast Self-Exams in Detecting Malignancy or Positive Ultrasound Findings.

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Associations between sociodemographic and clinicopathological factors and breast cancer subtypes in a population-based study.

Llanos A, Chandwani S, Bandera E, Hirshfield K, Lin Y, Ambrosone C Cancer Causes Control. 2015; 26(12):1737-50.

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Racial and Ethnic Disparity in Symptomatic Breast Cancer Awareness despite a Recent Screen: The Role of Tumor Biology and Mammography Facility Characteristics.

Mortel M, Rauscher G, Murphy A, Hoskins K, Warnecke R Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2015; 24(10):1599-606.

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Diagnosis and surgical delays in African American and white women with early-stage breast cancer.

George P, Chandwani S, Gabel M, Ambrosone C, Rhoads G, Bandera E J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2015; 24(3):209-17.

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