How do breast cancer incidence and mortality rates compare among racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.?
Breast Cancer incidence and mortality vary by race and ethnicity in the U.S. For purposes of this FAQ, we will be referring to the racial and ethnic categories as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. These broad racial and ethnic categories have several limitations, but they are the categories that are widely used in compiling breast cancer statistics, so they are the categories we will use here. In the U.S., incidence is highest among non-Hispanic white women. African American women have significantly lower rates of breast cancer than do white women. Latina women have lower rates than African American women (though breast cancer rates of Latina women are rising), Asian American/Pacific Islander women have lower rates than Latina women, and the racial/ethnic category with the lowest rates is Native American women. However, incidence patterns are different among younger women (women under 50). The incidence rates for young women are higher for African American women than
