Minorities and Breast Cancer

MY9TV.COM - A cancer crisis is hitting African American women.They run a higher risk of dying from breast cancer than other women in the U.S. They are also more vulnerable to a rare and vicious form of the disease. Brenda Flanagan explains.

"I actually found the lump myself," said Valerie a breast cancer survivor.

Debra shares the moment she heard, "She says, you have breast cancer."

Melissa has also been there, "I was diagnosed with cancer in both breasts," she said.

Dorothy Reed is also a survivor. She said, "African-American women are dying of this disease."

Lareatha Payne is a breast cancer survivor who is exclaiming, "We have to sound the alarm!"

It's a predator. It relies on fear and ignorance stalking and killing women particularly minority women. It's the breast cancer crisis you haven't heard about.

Larentha says, "Ive gone thru the chemo, the radiation, the sores in my mouth."

Payne's battle-scarred, but she's alive 14 years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. It's the most commonly diagnosed cancer among black women and survival rates are low only 78% compared to 90% for white women in the U.S.

Dorothy says, "At first, I thought I wasn't gonna make it."

Dorothy and Payne founded the Sisters' Network in Central Jersey, a group that offers breast cancer patients the support and guidance she wishes she'd had.

Dorothy was stage two when she was diagnosed.

Regular mammograms help spot breast cancer early on. The later the diagnosis the lower the survival rate.

Dr. Alvaro Carrascal says "Definitely, African American women are diagnosed later with more advanced disease and that's why the outcome is worse for them than for white women.

Dr. Carrascal blames poverty and limited access to health care services. He urges women to get a mammogram every year after the age of 40 and to be aware of their family history.

Melissa share with us, "Six of my aunts were diagnosed with breast cancer."

Melissa Lowery had a double mastectomy. Her sister in law Lisa died of "Triple Negative" a rare and even deadlier form of the disease that targets black women in their 30s.

Lareatha wants to tell al women, "Get your mammogram. Women don't take care of themselves they take care of their families, their

Dorothy adds,  "I just said I'm gonna live and I'm gonna help other black women live, too."