Black Women And Breast Cancer

At Higher Risk, According To Statistics, For One Form Of The Disease

(CBS)  Nicole Sudler was a 28-year-old single mother when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"I was shocked," she said. "And I was very, very afraid."

Sudler had one of the deadliest and most aggressive forms of breast cancer. Some researchers are calling it "triple negative."

"It kind of made me feel like 'Oh, God, my life is going to be over.' You know, dating, it's not going to happen anymore. Getting married? Probably not," Sudler said.

This kind of cancer is a triple threat because it strikes early; it's resistant to standard drug treatments; and more likely to kill. Its primary targets are young African-American women. Black women under the age of 50 are 77 percent more likely to die from the disease than white women of all ages.

Patients like Sudler compel Dr. Funmi Olopade of the University of Chicago to figure out what is going on.

"I'm motivated to go back to my lab and figure out: Why did that 20-year-old woman get breast cancer?" Olopade said.

Her quest for answers took Olopade back to her native Nigeria, where she's discovered that African women share the same genetic predisposition to triple negative breast cancer.

"Our work in Africa suggests it may also be more common for more women in Africa," said Olopade.

That may seem like a simple answer to what's causing a serious problem. But when it comes to race and medicine, nothing is simple.

"Race is not a scientifically determined category in the first place," said Dr. Harold Freeman of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention.

Poverty, culture and social injustice, not genetics, are behind the disparity, according to Freeman, who is also a senior advisor to the National Cancer Institute.

The question is: Is it related to being black in and of itself, or is it related to the circumstances under which people live?

Freeman fears suggesting there's a genetic basis for the disease will revive racist ideas that blacks are biologically different and inferior. Olopade says it's time to move forward.

"I think, actually, genetics gets us to look beyond race," said Olopade.

For women like Nicole Sudler, any research that sheds new light on the deadly disease is welcome.

"Help us with the research. We want to live, too," she said.

[emmac6]

Race may be an issue. I had a friend, who''s Asian, given a cancer drug that apparently had good results only with Asian women. I think there are biological issues linked to race that does effect our health.

[drivelphobe]

When she finds out she has a very aggressive form of breast cancer, her first concern was that with her life in danger of ending, she might not date again? What priorities.

Breast cancer in young females is nothing new. Someone is looking for grant money, and trying to use race as an excuse. I lost two young female friends to breast cancer, one age 15, and another age 17, many years ago. They were caucasians. Is cancer now a racial issue?

Yes, let''s blame predisposition to breast cancer on poverty, culture and social injustice. That''s very scientific and sounds medically insightful.

This disease is a killer and needs to be attacked without bringing up the issue of genetic differences in the various races.
Find a cure and it won''t matter where anyone came from or what their ethnicity is. Are they suggesting now that there are racial cancers like black, brown, white yellow and red? Stop this and practice medicine. Get to the bottom of it and prevent this awful disease.

[kevsan1]

Sickel cell anemia is one big example of a disease that is more linked to race than some would like to admit. Stick your head in the sand and more people will die because paths were not followed just because they might now be politically incorrect. Sure, plenty of folks die from cancer... all ages and everyone is susceptible... the point is this is an especially agressive form and if Africa is the big link, then so be it. And where do you get off on judging someone''s "priorities"... the point is she may miss out on things she wanted to experience. They may be very important in her life.

[standlee5]

You can''t be serious this guy is concerned that genetics is racist.

[timbobmc-2009]

It isn''t so much "race" as a certain combination of genetics. Whites and Asians may also get sickel cell anemia if the genes are put into the genome somewhere along the line. All "race" is is a combination of certain genetic traits, nothing more.

[grammawhamma]

"Freeman fears suggesting there''s a genetic basis for the disease will revive racist ideas that blacks are biologically different and inferior. Olopade says it''s time to move forward."

Oh please....give me a break, lets not worry about political correctness and being racist when it comes to life threatening diseases. Work on a cause and a cure.

The previous poster was correct about sickle cell anemia being more prevalent in blacks...does this make blacks inferior...NO. Hemophilia and color blindness are much more common in males...does this mean males are inferior...NO. Breast cancer is more common in women...does this mean women are inferior...again NO. Even different dog breeds are prone to different medical conditions.

I am so sick of everyone being so worried about being politicaly correct and risking offending someone. People are just people...good ones and bad ones come in all sizes shapes and colors. Now get over it and find the cure for these diseases!!

[oakishpines]

'' ... man on man wars rape babies, dare man on boy wars rape more ... girl on girl wars rape thirty to sixty year olds, dare girl on men wars rape more ... i can''t understand the ones good enough to fake world trade c enters that don''t or ones that can throw themselves from airplanes without parachutes but don''t ... ''


'' ...

i asked ''them'' how i could be

the hike naked dance dressed porno get sick tax world crowd

dancing get well feed world songs

rallied around the sick beds drifting tens millions spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail grfoups

and still be a shape shifting dragon traveling the universe at the speed of thought

and ''they'' mumbled some non sense about ports like weblinks

such that i can walk into a someones aura broadcasting 25 or 220 ports to other galaxies and universes

and i can be one of 25 or 220 folk that temporarily sets their in that aura a port or few of my own

and they reminded me i can hold an infinite number of the earth in the palm of my hand

with perfect comprehension and with no comprehension whutsoever at once

just as there''s infinite numbvers of seperate and disdinct points between any two seperate and distinct points on a geometric line

... ''

'' ... eternal storyboards swimming infinite oceans of eternal storyboards ... ''

[toldyouso21]

According to all of the National propaganda put out about black people, they are the most likely to die and are at the highest risk for AIDs, SIDs, anemia, HBP, diabetes, heart disease, many cancers, stress, poor pre natal nutrition, and many other potentially fatal diseases. In addition, in Africa and here they are subject to homocides, the ravages of war, slavery, even more diseases, etc. According to the news, they are the most likely to kill, steal, fill our jails the most and our welfare roles the most...
This may sound like I am slamming Black Americans or Blacks in general but it is not a slam--I HOPE this makes all of us think a little and realize this:

1. There are over 32 million blacks in America BUT less than 3 million people of ALL races on Welfare--so even if all were black, 29 million would not be on welfare

2. There almost 2.7 million men in prison, even if all were black men, that still leaves 26.3 million NOT in jail.

3. If Blacks have the highest infant mortality and deaths in so many areas, why is their birth rate higher than whites ?(as are every other ethnic/racial group)

see next post

[toldyouso21]

The point is, America doesn''t just practice division in this country during war and does not just distribute propaganda at war time. It is time for us to not only question the stats (in the late 1980s and early 1990s breast cancer was described as mostly a white woman disease) but wonder what is the REAL reason for how news is portrayed and what the truth is. The truth, and the real agenda, is hardly ever what it seems--because based on what we are fed about blacks, you''d think they''d all already been dead of disease or violence by now. the US should Lose the hype and the fake stats.

Now some blacks and whites will believe and defend this bs claiming it once again points out the neediness and weak state of Blacks. But the fact is, singling out any group by race to describe any ill is NOT intended to help it is really meant to denigrate. Like nasty and mean spirited jokes, it is done in a way "that meant no harm and was only trying to help" Sure it was. Just another piece of gov. bs to try to make one group inferior so that the others can feel better about themselves if not about their lives and actual reality. The real question is--we see how much our gov. lies, contrives and misquotes00so do we buy this or reject it? I take EVERYTHING our gov says about ANYTHING with more than a grain of salt.

[toldyouso21]

Many scientists link cancers to environment and the foods we eat. There are always whites and other minorities in black neighborhoods also. Has any study of breast cancer been done by demographics instead of race? How about done by persons living in places with suspect water or high amounts of asbestos or lead paint? How about studies on people who eat a lot of fast food or high fat food*

Iowa has the highest rate of leukemias in the US. Why? could it be the high use and widespread range of Pesticides used in farming? Many Iowans, farmers or not--swear by 2-4 D for killing off weeds. Often it is used to clear weeds on highways, etc. Yet 2-4 D has been linked to cancer in a number of animals even at low levels and is on the EPA alert list...

* animal fat tissue is the largest repository for residual poisons, drugs, hormones, etc--many cultures love to eat fatty meat

see next post

[toldyouso21]

Should the real question be what any racial group gets or should we look closer at where, and under what conditions diseases seem to thrive? As Scientists, we have to look beyond race--because no matter what "rate" we claim any group gets non-genetic disease at, the fact is if a disease can infect one race, it certainly has no problem spreading to the others. Physiologically, and at a biocellular level, humans are all the same--what is different is how one lives, stress factors, what each eats, what people are exposed to.

Every experiment at any level of science is set up with controls. Controls are parameters which help shape and determine the outcome of testing. This are what are considered the normal measures or what everything else is challenged against. In the case of cancers, we need to look at the natural controls and see what is standard or always present around those who contract the disease. What we know is NOT always the same is the race or even age of the patient--so we can play the race game and pretend the rest of us have fewer worries or....we can look at physical enviromental and physiological anomalies and see something larger than skin color. Like what''s in the water, the food, exposure to drugs and chemicals, exposure to high fats or chemical food additives, etc.

[mook1995]

Hello everyone...

I am the girl in the video. I am Nicole Sudler...

I must let you guys know that i was talked to for about 45 minutes. There were 2 quotes in this segment from me.

I was offended that "drivelphobe" made this comment
"When she finds out she has a very aggressive form of breast cancer, her first concern was that with her life in danger of ending, she might not date again? What priorities"

My dear friend, my priorities are in order... I talked about my son, I talked about how I survived through plenty of prayer AND the fact that I have a GENIUS for a doctor. I talked about how my life was differnent. They asked me what i thought about having my BREASTS REMOVED at age 28 and that is wehen i made the comment that I felt my life as I knew it would be over and that dating and getting married would be out of the question.

Prayer and my relationship with GOD caused me to not fear deaath. I am not afraid that i am going to die even though I was diagnosed with one of the most deadly and agressive forms of cancer...

[mook1995]

It concerns me that you made this very serious situaton an argument and/or debate
"I lost two young female friends to breast cancer, one age 15, and another age 17, many years ago. They were caucasians. Is cancer now a racial issue?"
My question would be, was it this TYPE of breast cancer???
I received genetic testing and it shows that i DO INDEED have a genetic mutation which causes me and many of the women in my family to be diagnosed with this EXACT SAME TYPE of breast cancer. No one is minimalizing your loss of your two VERY YOUNG friends many years ago. But today, we are talking about ths...

There is another form of breast cancer that is being researched that appears to be targeting Jewish women...

I think ALL of these should be investigated...

There are some things wheteher we want to admit it or not that affect us differently because of our genetic make up... thats just the way it is...

[oakishpines]

'' ...

had a million dollars wanted ten million, not one million dollar film, or 1000 $1000, but 100 million kids with free medical you are here map song dance skit kits, to make a hundred million dollars for nothing

me verse the world i deserve 99%, the world occupys 99% space time so deserves 99%, so 50% / 50% may be rational and equitable shareing of my market share

210 million represents the richest 3% with over 95% of wealth, poverty lines range $2 to $60 each work day, so giving to 440 to 730,000 each workday for tips of a penny to a dollar from 1/2 % to 11 % of folk marketed to


6 or 10 billion folk is 90,000 counties of 90,000 folk is 300 trail groups of 300 folk, girls get bored and move each 20 seconds to 20 nminutes so i not call them communities?)

$12,000 per year poverty line will buy $60,000 of 2500 sf land and 340 sf home

2500 sqft (50 ft x 50 ft) is 200 lineal feet perimeter, 2.2 to 3650 ''grapes'' per lineal foot (grapes as example or seaweed / algae song / dance art / craft wutever)


... if only 2500 square feet could float like some kind of spore bloom weed dragon tinkering densitys and surface areas and such ...


trails of life is more like kindergarten class, what do you like what do you want to do this that ok well show you how now like this now like that now like this now like that

... ''

[kailumego1]

mook1995, I''m interested to know what type of aggressive form of breast cancer are you referencing that has such an early age of onset predominately in African American women?

And what is your prognosis?

Also, does this mean there''s a connection between Nigerian women and this aggressive form of breast cancer, or the entire Western African population?

And if this is exclusive to Nigerian women is it safe to assume that African American women diagnosed with this rare and deadly form of cancer have Nigerian ancestry?

Because as you well know, Europeans obtained African slaves from 15+ different countries in West Africa--so therefore, are researchers stating all African American women are susceptible or only those whose ancestry is from designated regions, i.e. Nigeria.

[Netterz]

AS Nicole stated, she was interviewed and spoke for 45 min, but only a few of her words were used, and obviously strategically as usual, by the media. I am white, 40 yo and have aggressive BC as well. I wish, they would work for a cure, instead of studies such as this. ANYONE of any race, gender, age, can get cancer. BILLIONS are made daily in treatment, and as long as that money train keeps going full bore, CURE will stay on the back burner. They ONLY test for the mutations IF the insurance co''s decide that its neccessary. I wasted 6 weeks on testing that HAD to go thru, ot they would refuse to pay. Its evil and dangerous, when your care is tossed into a box, and your insurance determines when and how you will be treated. NOT you and your doctor. This waste of time, costs lives. I lost my dad, uncle and a 45 yr old friend in the past 4 months. How long are we gong to sit back and let them dictate our health care? You and your doc have no control. No one realizes ths until you face cancer. Its very scary.

[cmp271]

Any disease that has to do with women is overlooked unless it affects men!!

In the world of medicine women don''t count!!!

When are women going to wake up to this fact.

Why do you think birth control wasn''t covered by insurance, yet viagara sure is???

We need women in medicine, and women to speak up to their HMO''s and congress to get some action about this.

[mook1995]

kailumego1 asked "I''''m interested to know what type of aggressive form of breast cancer are you referencing that has such an early age of onset predominately in African American women?"

I had "triple-negative" breast cancer It means that your pathology states that the tumor is estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative and HER2-negative

MY prognosis is good (thank GOD) but that is actually rare. Triple neg is one of the most agressive. if you look in the clip, Dr. Olopade shows mammograms of a woman with 3-neg one form 2005, one from early 2006, the young lady died in late 2006 a little over a year after diagnosis. I had my breasts removed to "lessen my risk of tumor growth". I found the lump in early 2004(it hadn''t been there 2 months before. My pathology report said cancer had spread to 6 of 13 lymph nodes (in a matter of a couple of MONTHS!!)

They say it is predominant amongst black women (specifically of Nigerian decent) When stratified by race, 46.6% of black women had triple-negative tumors, compared with 21.7% of white women (P .001), even after adjustment for age and stage of disease at diagnosis. "This translated to a 2.71-fold increase in risk for black women," Dr. Lund said.

[dvsudler]

I''m a 40 yr old black woman with stage 3 breast cancer currently undergoing treatment. I have breast cancer history on both my maternal and paternal sides of the family. Ironically I have an estranged sister, Nicole Sudler. Nikki, if you''re originally from Wilmington, DE - please get in touch with me, via [e-mail]. If this is not Nikki from Delaware, by all means keep the faith, stay positive and GOD Bless.