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This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about certain groups and specific health concerns they might have. Minority women have up to a 70 percent higher risk of dying after a breast cancer diagnosis compared with Caucasian women. This could be because they have less access to health care for early screenings, they lack information about the importance of early diagnosis or because they may have cultural taboos against talking about personal matters.
Doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center are conducting research to see if there’s a genetic component, as well, by looking at women from various minority groups who are considered to be at high risk for developing breast cancer based on personal and family health history. Dr. Gail Tomlinson, a UT Southwestern cancer researcher, says the information from this research could help doctors tailor genetic counseling to specific minority groups.
Visit www.utsouthwestern.org/cancercenter to learn more about
UT Southwestern’s clinical services in cancer treatment.
