Breast cancer rising rapidly in Asian American women, study finds

Breast cancer rates have risen rapidly among Asian American women over the past two decades, with some of the steepest increases among women under 50, new research has revealed.

Rates rose by more than three per cent a year in nearly every Asian American ethnic group studied, much faster than in any other US ethnic group.

The increase was particularly marked among women under 50 and in cases involving advanced-stage disease or certain aggressive subtypes of the cancer.

The study found even larger increases among Chinese and Vietnamese women.

Breast cancer rates among Native Hawaiian women were already among the highest recorded among US women, but rose by about one per cent a year, less than the increases seen in Asian American groups.

The researchers said increased screening was unlikely to explain the trend because screening would be expected to identify more cancers at an earlier stage.

Instead, cancers that had already spread increased at the fastest rate.

Triple-negative breast cancer, considered the most aggressive subtype, rose by more than six per cent a year among Chinese American women between 2017 and 2022.

Scarlett Lin Gomez, senior author and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, said: “These patterns are highly concerning from a disparities standpoint.

“They underscore why it is so important to move beyond treating Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders as a single population.”

Researchers analysed about 150,000 cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed between 2000 and 2022 using data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Programme.

The analysis covered nine Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations across 14 states. Together, these states account for about two-thirds of the US population within these groups.

Except for Native Hawaiian women, Asian American women have historically had lower breast cancer rates than non-Hispanic white women.

However, the gap has narrowed rapidly. By 2022, incidence among Asian American women under 50 was comparable with that recorded among white women.

The reasons for the increase among women under 50 remain unclear.

Changes in reproductive patterns, diet and other lifestyle factors may play a part, but researchers said they did not fully explain the findings.

They said previously unidentified risk factors may also be contributing to the rises in some Asian American communities.

Researchers hope two UCSF-based studies, the CRANE breast cancer study and the ASPIRE cohort study, will provide insights into these factors.

Gomez said: “Understanding why breast cancer is increasing so rapidly in these communities is critical.

“At the same time, we need to ensure that women across all Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities have access to culturally appropriate education, screening, and timely follow-up care.”

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