The American Cancer Society's biennial update on female breast cancer statistics in the United States highlights the following key points: 1. **Incidence and Mortality Trends**: - Breast cancer incidence rates increased slightly by 0.3% per year from 2012 to 2016, driven by rising rates of local stage and hormone receptor-positive disease. - The breast cancer death rate continued to decline, dropping 40% from 1989 to 2017, resulting in 375,900 averted deaths. - The decline in mortality rates has slowed, with an annual decrease of 1.3% from 2011 to 2017, primarily due to trends among white women. 2. **Racial Disparities**: - Black women have a 40% higher breast cancer death rate compared to white women, despite a lower incidence rate. - Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage disease and have higher prevalence of obesity and comorbidities. - The black-white disparity in breast cancer mortality has remained stable since 2011, with a peak in 2011 when it was 44% higher. 3. **State-Level Data**: - Breast cancer mortality rates are no longer declining in Nebraska overall, and in Colorado and Wisconsin among black women. - In Nebraska, Texas, and Virginia, the decline in breast cancer mortality has leveled off among white women. - Breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer death in four Southern and two Midwestern states among blacks and in Utah among whites during 2016-2017. 4. **Treatment and Survival**: - Treatment patterns vary by stage at diagnosis, with breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy being common for early-stage disease. - Survival rates vary significantly by stage and race/ethnicity, with APIs having the highest survival rates and blacks having the lowest. - The 5-year survival rate for stage I is 98%, for stage II is 92%, for stage III is 75%, and for stage IV is 27%. 5. **State Variation**: - Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates vary widely across states, influenced by screening prevalence and disease occurrence. - Black women have higher incidence and mortality rates in most states, with significant disparities in some states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. 6. **Conclusion**: - The slowing decline in breast cancer mortality may be due to widespread diffusion of major treatment advances and increasing incidence. - Expanding access to high-quality prevention, early detection, and treatment services could accelerate further declines in breast cancer mortality.The American Cancer Society's biennial update on female breast cancer statistics in the United States highlights the following key points: 1. **Incidence and Mortality Trends**: - Breast cancer incidence rates increased slightly by 0.3% per year from 2012 to 2016, driven by rising rates of local stage and hormone receptor-positive disease. - The breast cancer death rate continued to decline, dropping 40% from 1989 to 2017, resulting in 375,900 averted deaths. - The decline in mortality rates has slowed, with an annual decrease of 1.3% from 2011 to 2017, primarily due to trends among white women. 2. **Racial Disparities**: - Black women have a 40% higher breast cancer death rate compared to white women, despite a lower incidence rate. - Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage disease and have higher prevalence of obesity and comorbidities. - The black-white disparity in breast cancer mortality has remained stable since 2011, with a peak in 2011 when it was 44% higher. 3. **State-Level Data**: - Breast cancer mortality rates are no longer declining in Nebraska overall, and in Colorado and Wisconsin among black women. - In Nebraska, Texas, and Virginia, the decline in breast cancer mortality has leveled off among white women. - Breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer death in four Southern and two Midwestern states among blacks and in Utah among whites during 2016-2017. 4. **Treatment and Survival**: - Treatment patterns vary by stage at diagnosis, with breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy being common for early-stage disease. - Survival rates vary significantly by stage and race/ethnicity, with APIs having the highest survival rates and blacks having the lowest. - The 5-year survival rate for stage I is 98%, for stage II is 92%, for stage III is 75%, and for stage IV is 27%. 5. **State Variation**: - Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates vary widely across states, influenced by screening prevalence and disease occurrence. - Black women have higher incidence and mortality rates in most states, with significant disparities in some states like Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. 6. **Conclusion**: - The slowing decline in breast cancer mortality may be due to widespread diffusion of major treatment advances and increasing incidence. - Expanding access to high-quality prevention, early detection, and treatment services could accelerate further declines in breast cancer mortality.