Valerie Christopher

Urban Health Today

<p>A scoping review article published in <em>Supportive Cancer Care </em>investigated how Black women with breast cancer perceive communications with their oncology care team and whether these experiences are related to health outcomes. The study aimed to highlight successful strategies for communicating breast cancer diagnosis and treatment options with Black women.<h2><strong>Unpacking Disparities in Breast Cancer Outcomes<br>
</strong></h2><p>Black women with breast cancer have a nearly 40% higher mortality rate (26.8 per 100,000) compared with White women (19.4 per 100,000), the authors reported. However, evidence shows that Black women undergo surveillance screening at rates similar to those for White women. One factor that may influence this disparity is health literacy and patient-provider education. For example, the authors noted that Black women with breast cancer report receiving inadequate information about mammography results and therapy options.</p><p>&ldquo;Efforts have been made to discern the cause of this disparity through examining the medical, biological, and genetic factors that can influence the prognosis of breast cancer,&rdquo; wrote the study authors. &ldquo;Given the sharp racial disparity in breast cancer outcomes, communication surrounding the diagnosis is worth further examination.&rdquo;</p><h2><strong>Communication Preferences in Breast Cancer Care</strong></h2><p>The analysis included 27 studies in which Black patients with breast cancer reported their experiences regarding provider communication. The researchers found that quality of communication and the patient-provider relationship were highly valued among Black patients. &ldquo;In addition to providers&rsquo; perceived expertise and others&rsquo; referrals, patients trust of their providers was impacted by the quality of their relationship,&rdquo; the authors noted.</p><p>Black patients reported low-quality communication when the providers spent limited time with them (eg, &lt;15 minutes). In addition, patients rated communication as poor when they felt they did not understand their diagnosis, treatment plan, or possibility of disease recurrence. Black patients were more likely to report medical mistrust than White patients.</p><p>Notably, Black patients who reported high-quality communication were more likely to initiate treatment and adhere to adjuvant therapy &ldquo;and attributed their continuation of treatment to their providers&rsquo; encouragement.&rdquo; Low-quality communication was found to be associated with treatment discontinuation or delay. One study found that low levels of trust in oncologists were associated with patients taking a longer time to initiate therapy.</p><p>Based on these findings, the authors suggested that patients&rsquo; perceptions of the quality of communication with their healthcare professionals may be a key factor influencing their treatment decisions and, ultimately, health outcomes. &ldquo;Future research is needed to test interventions that optimize communication between Black breast cancer patients and their providers, including discussing navigating barriers to care,&rdquo; they wrote.</p></p>
<div class="post-references"><h3>References</h3><p>Litsas DC, et al. <em>Support Care Cancer</em>. 2025;33(5):396. doi:<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40257646/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10.1007/s00520-025-09425-6</a></p>
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A study investigated how Black women with breast cancer perceive communications with their oncology care team and whether these experiences are related to health outcomes.

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