Research Project Summary
Each year in New Jersey approximately 7000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) and more than 1000 women die from the disease, making it the second greatest cause of cancer mortality for women in the 1 state, after lung cancer. Low-income and uninsured women have a significantly greater risk of late stage diagnosis and death from BC. While increasing age increases BC risk, younger women tend to be diagnosed at a later stage and with a worse prognosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 9% of all new cases of BC were found in women younger than age 45. Zu and colleagues found that the incidence of BC in younger women is rising ; in fact, BC accounts for 30% of cancers among women ages 15-39. Barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment exist at patient, provider, and community levels for women of any age, however for younger women who may not realize they are at risk, these barriers are extensive and likely to contribute to disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Comprehensive data on BC in women under 40 is limited for the southern region of N.J.
Research Project Goals
This mixed methods project aims to examine the unique experiences of young women diagnosed with BC, and specifically how socioeconomics (SES), race/ethnicity, and community level social determinants may be associated with delays in diagnosis and treatment. Using an ecological perspective, which emphasizes individual, system and community level factors, and their interdependent relations, we propose to examine 10 years of data collected by the N.J. State Cancer Registry (NJSCR) to evaluate patient, tumor, and community level factors on stage at diagnosis, treatment variations and outcomes for young women diagnosed with breast cancer in N.J. The qualitative phase of this study will examine the lived experience of young women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Research Project Objectives
The research questions are: 1. Is the incidence of invasive BC increasing in women 40 years old and younger in the southern region of N.J.? 2. Are women 40 years old and younger more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage compared to older women diagnosed with BC, controlling for race/ethnicity and insurance status? 3. Are women 40 years old and younger who reside in communities with lower SES more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage compared to women 40 years old and younger from high SES communities? 4. Does BC treatment vary based on a woman’s age at diagnosis? 5. What are the lived experiences of women 40 years of age and younger diagnosed withBC?