Racial/ethnic disparities in use of surveillance mammogram among breast cancer survivors: a systematic review

The increasing numbers of breast cancer survivors in the USA have led to greater emphasis on long-term health outcomes and monitoring for recurrence among these women. Despite this, there is limited evidence on the use of mammography among breast cancer survivors and how it varies across racial/ethnic groups. A systematic review was conducted to explore disparities in use of mammogram among breast cancer survivors. 30 studies were included. 21 studies provided adjusted estimates of racial/ethnic disparities in use of surveillance mammograms, and 15 of these reported statistically significant disparities. Overall, most studies reported that non-white women (mainly Blacks and Hispanics) were less likely to receive a timely surveillance mammogram compared to Whites. This systematic review adds to the evidence of racial/ethnic disparities beyond completion of initial cancer treatment by finding similar disparities in receipt of surveillance mammograms among breast cancer survivors. Findings highlight the need for general practitioners to be aware of disparities and improve efforts to increase post-treatment use of surveillance mammography among racial/ethnic minority women to reduce these gaps and improve overall clinical and quality of life outcomes. Read full text