American Cancer Launches 30-year Study For Black Women In 20 States

By Rosaland Tyler
Associate Editor
New Journal and Guide

Virginia is one of 20 states that recently launched a new American Cancer Society-funded research program for Black women.

This means Black women from California, to Texas, Louisiana, New York, and Virginia can participate in the groundbreaking VOICES of Black Women research program. It plans to enroll more than 100,000 cancer-free Black women ages 25 to 55 in the U.S. and study them for  30 years, to determine how their medical histories, lifestyle and experiences of racism affect their risk of developing or dying from cancer. That would make it the largest study of its kind ever conducted in the country.

“With few exceptions, Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage cancer, aggressive tumor types and have higher cancer-specific mortality rates than other women. It’s within this context that the American Cancer Society is launching VOICES of Black Women,” Dr. Lauren McCullough, a co-principal investigator and the visiting scientific director at the American Cancer Society, recently told reporters at a briefing.

“While cancer deaths have declined, Black women maintain a high death rate,” said McCullough.

She added, “With few exceptions, Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage cancer, aggressive tumor types, and have higher cancer-specific mortality rates than other women.”

This disparity is especially pronounced in breast cancer, where Black women face a 40% higher mortality rate than white women. Black women also die at  higher rates for cervical cancer and endometrial cancer.

Aiming to pinpoint the causes for stark female cancer inequities, the American Cancer Society recently launched the study in 20 states and Washington, D.C., which together account for more than 90 percent of the U.S. population of Black women ages 25 to 55.

The 20 states that will participate in the study include California, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, New York, Virginia.

Pointing to the Tuskegee study and other studies that eroded Black trust, co-principal investigator of the VOICES study, Dr. Alpa Patel, senior vice president of population science for the American Cancer Society, said, “We recognize that there has been historic mistrust in the Black community for several reasons.”

Patel said, “It’s been really front and center for us to ensure that we’ve partnered with Black women to understand how to build this study in a way that is respectful.”

To participate, cancer-free participants must complete an initial questionnaire that takes about 15 minutes, followed by an hour-long, more detailed questionnaire about their lives and family histories, and their mental and emotional health.

“The faster we get to 100,000, the faster we get to the first wave of answers,” Patel said.