Black women in England are at greater risk of late cancer diagnosis than white women

Black women from Caribbean and African backgrounds are up to two times more likely to receive a late stage diagnosis for some cancers than white British women in England, a new analysis shows.

Cancer Research UK, in a review of NHS Digital cancer data published in BMJ Open, said that the findings were “deeply troubling” and warned inequalities in cancer care could widen.1

Treatment for cancers which are diagnosed at a late stage are likely to be less successful.

Cancer Research UK found ethnicity is a “significant factor in stage of diagnosis” for women in England with breast, ovarian, uterine, and non-small cell lung cancer, and for men with prostate cancer.

“We know the number of cancer cases diagnosed in ethnic minority groups is likely to grow over time, meaning that without any action, this gap will continue to widen,” the charity’s chief executive Michelle Mitchell said.

The …