After two months of chronic coughing, a chest scan revealed a shadow in her lung.
An ultrasound led to finding lesions in her liver.
A mammogram revealed the rest: Hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.
I’m like, ‘Why would this happen to me?'"
But not all women are benefitting equally, notes El-Ashry.
And there’s a reason for this.
Researchers and physicians agree the factors contributing to the disparity gap are complex.
“There are biological differences in breast cancer Black women tend to have.
They have a higher incidence of triple-negative breast cancer, which is more aggressive,” said Taiwo.
But there is also a lot within human control that needs to be addressed andcanchange.
Taiwo points to standard of care as one of the places where physicians can combat disparities.
Recentresearchshows Black women are referred for genetic testing at disproportionately lower rates than white women.
There is no cure formetastatic breast canceryet.
Now 44 years old, she has gone almost four years without cancer detected in her body.
“you might live a quality life even with metastatic breast cancer,” she said.
“I still work full-time.
I don’t look like what I’ve been through and what I’m going through.”
Vivian J. Bea, M.D.
In medicine,researchsupports that when someone looks like you there is a better connection.
Nyama M. Sillah, M.D.
:[As a reconstructive surgeon,] I’m usually one of the last people a patient sees.
So I do feel, like you said, privileged in that sense.
ALLURE:What are some of the disparities that exist in this space?
The word disparities means when the outcome for one group of people is greater or lesser than another group.
The reasons why that disparity exists for Black women is multifactorial.
There’s biology, but there are also disparities in clinical research.
And, certainly, social determinants of health contribute to the disparities we see.
ALLURE:How have you experienced this firsthand, Dr. Sillah?
What does this mean for a patient needing or wanting reconstructive surgery?
NMS:The initial disparity is that sometimes a referral isn’t made to plastic surgery.
Every woman should be able to have a plastic surgery consultation.
Now, with a lot of these treatments, women are able to live with metastatic cancer.
And they should also have the opportunity [for reconstructive surgery].
ALLURE:What would you want a Black woman with metastatic breast cancer to know?
NMS:I want to normalize talking about our health.
When you’re meeting up with your girlfriends, talk to them.
Have you done a self breast exam?
Have you gotten a mammogram?
Just starting to talk and hold each other accountable that we are taking care of our health.
And I want them to know they have the right to reconstruction.
There are laws in place.
VJB:That’s really what we have to do is share the word, spread the word.
I want Black women to know that you matter.
You want to be treated at a high-quality program that offers multidisciplinary care.
All of that really matters.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Read more stories about breast cancer.
Now watch a video about a metastatic breast cancer patient’s journey.
