Breast Cancer Rates On The Rise Among Asian Americans
Japanese-American Women May Be Hardest Hit
Article date: 2002/08/01
Breast cancer rates among Asian Americans have traditionally been lower than those of other Americans, but that may be changing.
The rates of breast cancer among some women of Asian-American descent, particularly Japanese Americans, may be approaching those of white women, according to new research.
University of Southern California researchers examined the trends in Los Angeles County and reported their results in the International Journal of Cancer (Vol. 99: 747-750).
Traditionally Lower Rates Of Breast Cancer Among Asians
Asian women have some of the lowest breast cancer rates of any group in the world, while the rates are highest in countries such as the US.
Much of this has been linked to differences in lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, body weight, and choosing to have children later in life (or not at all).
Ethnicity and national origin are among the strongest known predictors of breast cancer risk, the authors said. These factors are thought to affect a woman's risk even more than those associated with menstrual periods and childbearing.
But breast cancer rates have risen sharply in recent years in some Asian countries such as Japan, where women have adopted more "Westernized" lifestyles. In fact, breast cancer is expected to soon become the most common cancer among women in Japan, the authors said.
It has also been known for some time that the risk of breast cancer increases among generations of Asians who migrate to the US. But experts say this risk is still low compared to other groups such as whites and African Americans.
Actually. So ok, they do have words for it and as you pointed out, they do have it, but it is at a much lower rate, and now women are adopting Western lifestyle, the rate has risen. smart arse.