A common screening test for endometrial cancer, typically considered reliable, may not be as effective in Black patients, according to a new study. The test, which uses ultrasound to determine whether more invasive testing via biopsy is needed, has been shown to miss a concerning number of Black patients.
“This is a very important study,” said Dr. Christina Annunziata, a senior vice president of the American Cancer Society, who was not involved in the research, to Live Science.
Published on June 27 in JAMA Oncology, the study identifies a potential reason why Black patients with endometrial cancer tend to be diagnosed later and suffer worse outcomes compared to other populations.
Endometrial cancer, which affects the lining of the uterus, is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs in the U.S., affecting more than 65,000 people annually. While it primarily impacts women over 60, the incidence has been rising for women of all ages over the past two decades, with rates increasing more rapidly among Black women. Additionally, Black women in the U.S. are at least twice as likely to die from certain subtypes of endometrial cancer compared to white women.