Women of African ancestry face strikingly similar breast cancer patterns whether they live in Ghana or the United States, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. The findings reveal troubling disparities that suggest biological susceptibility may play a role in cancer risk for these populations.
Researchers from the National Cancer Institute examined breast tumor data from over 1,000 Ghanaian women and more than 120,000 American women. They discovered that both Ghanaian women and Black women in the U.S. experience ER-negative breast cancer at nearly identical rates—approximately 43 cases per 100,000 women. These rates are substantially higher than the 24 cases per 100,000 seen in white American women.
The pattern is particularly concerning because ER-negative tumors tend to be more aggressive and harder to treat. According to the researchers, “This finding may suggest increased susceptibility requiring elucidation in U.S. non-Hispanic Black and West African populations.”
The study authors emphasized that mortality rates from breast cancer remain among the highest globally for populations with African ancestry. They called for additional research to understand the genetic, behavioral, and social factors driving these disparities.
Understanding why women of African descent face elevated risks for aggressive breast tumors could prove critical for developing targeted prevention strategies and reducing the persistent gap in cancer outcomes that affects Black communities on two continents.
See: “Breast tumor incidence trends similar for Black women in Ghana, U.S.” (October 13, 2025)
