According to the 2024-2025 breast cancer statistics from the American Cancer Society (ACS), Black women are just as likely to develop breast cancer as other ethnicities. However, they are at a greater risk of being diagnosed with late-stage or unstaged cancer and are also 40 percent more likely to die from every stage of breast cancer. While this disparity may be attributed to different factors, such as access to proper healthcare, some members of the community suggest that including Black women in more research may make a significant difference in finding the answer. That’s why the ACS is trying to bridge the gap through its current research, ‘Voices of Black Women’.
‘Voices of Black Women’ is a new study being led by the ACS to gather much-needed data from Black women. This study aims to take steps toward eliminating disparities in breast cancer research when it comes to Black women. The organizers believe that getting insights into diverse experiences will allow health practitioners to offer care that is both effective and culturally relevant. By conducting this longterm study, the ACS desires to compile information that may guide new developments in healthcare.
It’s important to note that this is an observational study and not a clinical trial. As such, participants in this study will complete surveys at least twice per year and provide information to the organizers. There are no medications or medical interventions involved.
To qualify for this study, you should be biologically female or identify as a woman, identify as Black, be between the ages of 20 and 60 years old, live in any of the 50 U.S. states or Washington D.C., and have never been diagnosed with cancer, except for basal or squamous skin cancer.
For purposes of this study, the term ‘Black’ is defined as women of African descent, including but not limited to African American, African-Caribbean, African-European, and similar backgrounds. The ACS believes that examining diverse experiences may also be relevant to their research.
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Breast cancer can be a complex disease that affects everyone differently. For this reason, it’s important to know how it affects individuals as well as which issues may influence someone’s risk of developing breast cancer. According to the ACS’s 2024-2025 statistics, Black women don’t have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. However, they’re less likely to survive if they’re diagnosed under the age of 50. They also have a higher likelihood of developing triple-negative breast cancer, which is an aggressive form of the illness.
Of course, genetics may play a role in this, as having a family history of breast cancer is often listed as a potential factor for developing the illness. However, it has also been suggested that there may be more at play. In the CARRIERS study carried out by Dr. Fergus Couch and his team, which was backed by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), researchers assessed the risk of breast cancer in participants who didn’t have a family history of the illness. Generally, other researchers focused on people with this history and, as such, were likely to have mutations in the BRCA1 and, to a lesser extent, BRCA2 genes. This study showed that, though rare, Black Americans with mutations of the BARD1, RAD51C, and RAD51D genes had a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
During this study, they found that some women who wouldn’t have been considered high-risk previously had other genetic mutations that increased their likelihood of developing breast cancer. More importantly, these mutations may be more likely in Black women.
While more research is needed to investigate what may cause these genetic mutations in Black women, there are some suggestions that lifestyle differences may be a contributing factor.
According to Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), Black women may have a higher risk of being exposed to chemicals that increase their likelihood of developing breast cancer. The BCPP suggests that products like skin lighteners, relaxers, and acrylic nails may play a role in this.
Some skin lighteners, for example, may contain hydroquinone, which can disrupt the endocrine system, and mercury, which is a known toxic chemical. When it comes to relaxers, the BCPP expresses concern that many relaxers contain base chemicals such as sodium hydroxide, guanidine hydroxide, or ammonium thioglycolate. To counteract the effects of these high-pH chemicals, use neutralizing products that can help contain potential carcinogens or chemicals that may disrupt the endocrine system.
If you work in a nail salon, you may also be exposed to potential carcinogens such as formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, hydroquinone, toluene, and ethyl/methyl methacrylate. These chemicals may be found in nail polish, primers, and glues.
Another product that may concern you is permanent hair dye. According to a 2019 study, using permanent hair dye and straighteners may increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) studied data from over 46,000 women. The women who used hair dyes before joining the study had a nine percent increase in their risk of developing breast cancer.
However, that number isn’t the complete picture. For Black women who used hair dye every five to eight weeks or more, the risk escalated to 60 percent as opposed to the eight percent increase that white women saw when using hair dye at the same rate. Interestingly, using temporary or semi-permanent hair dye infrequently did not appear to increase the participants’ breast cancer risk.
Women who use hair straighteners every five to eight weeks or more also had a 30 percent higher chance of developing breast cancer. Although the increase in risk applied to Black and white women equally, the researchers noted that Black women were more likely to use straighteners. In their estimation, that may significantly affect the level of risk.
Although statistics show an overall decline in the breast cancer mortality rate, Black women remain vulnerable. Proper access to healthcare remains a priority, but there is also too little information available on how breast cancer affects Black women. That’s where studies and clinical trials come into play. If you’d like to lend your voice to a study, it’s a good idea to learn more about ‘Voices’.
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