Tamara Thomas

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A recent review published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons outlines some action points to help surgeons reduce the disparities in breast cancer treatment, especially in black women. 
According to the review&#8217;s authors, &#8220;advances in breast cancer treatment have reduced the mortality rates over the past twenty-five years by up to thirty-four, but not all groups have benefited equally from these improvements.&#8221;
&#8220;Span the entire breast cancer care continuum ranging from access to risk assessments and high-quality screening to reconstruction and guideline-concordant care. These disparities are implicated not only in the differences we see in survival but also have consequences for quality-of-life outcomes for breast cancer survivors.&#8221; The lead author of the review Angelena Crown, MD, told Inside Precision Medicine. 
The researchers emphasized that surgeons &#8220;are often the first point of contact in a patient&#8217;s journey through breast cancer.&#8221; They also highlighted the potential role of surgeons as agents of change, stating that &#8220;maintaining their awareness of existing disparities and providing additional resources to patients when possible&#8221; can make a significant difference in addressing the disparities in breast cancer treatment.
The first important step the researchers noted surgeons could take to address the disparities in breast cancer treatment in black women is education and advocacy. 
&#8220;The first step in taking action to address disparities is educating ourselves and advocating for our patients,&#8221; said Dr. Crown. 
&#8220;This can start in the office through basic things like performing risk assessments and triaging high-risk women to appropriate imaging, referring women who plan to undergo a mastectomy to plastic surgeons to discuss reconstructive options, and offering genetic testing. Physicians can also partner with colleagues and medical societies to help impact change on a larger scale.&#8221; Dr. Crown added.
The review&#8217;s authors also noted that, although various factors influence disparities in breast cancer care, four distinct areas demand attention: screening, genetic testing, reconstruction, and availability of fertility preservation therapies for people with cancer.
&#8220;These are topics that are often overlooked. We sort of assume that most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer may require these services and that they are readily available. But unfortunately, depending on geography or the type of hospital that a patient is being treated, many of these services may not be available,&#8221; explained Dr. Kathie-Ann Joseph, senior author of the study.
&#8220;Many breast surgeons may already be aware of some of the disparities that exist in regard to breast cancer care, but we wanted to illustrate the wide scope of the problems and raise awareness among general surgeons and other healthcare providers who treat breast cancer patients,&#8221; added Dr. Joseph.
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Source: <a href="https://www.insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/oncology/breast-cancer/tips-to-curb-disparities-in-breast-cancer-treatment-in-new-acs-report/">Inside Precision Medicine</a>

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Researchers noted surgeons could take steps to address the disparities in breast cancer treatment in black women is education and advocacy.