"We've long known that while breast cancer incidence rates for Black and white women are comparable, Black women are more likely to receive conventional digital mammography screening and also experience longer intervals between detection, diagnosis and treatment," said Linda Goler Blount, MPH, study author and president and CEO, Black Women's Health Imperative (BWHI). "This study illuminates the unfortunate reality of this disparity and underscores that the solution is rooted in increasing education and, most importantly, access to superior breast cancer screening modalities, such as DBT, for Black women."

Expanded access to 3D mammography technology and the opportunity for earlier diagnosis through improved cancer detection are especially relevant for Black women, who get breast cancer younger than white women, are more likely to have late-stage diagnoses, and have lower survival rates.[iii],[iv],[v]

Hologic commits to tackling racial health disparities

Hologic, an innovative medical technology company primarily focused on improving women's health, commissioned this research as part of an ongoing project analyzing mammograms, screening intervals and interpretation performance across health systems throughout the United States.

The company recently announced a multi-year commitment to decreasing breast cancer screening disparities for Black women in partnership with BWHI, the only national nonprofit organization created by Black women to help protect and advance the health and wellness of Black women and girls through awareness and education, and RAD-AID, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring equal access to radiology health services for medically underserved communities.

The multi-pronged initiative includes BWHI's P.O.W.E.R. of Sure campaign, which examines common barriers to early screening and encourages Black women to schedule and attend their annual mammograms. Additionally, Hologic will fund innovative care, radiology, public education and nurse navigation at multiregional sites selected by RAD-AID as clinical partners to provide critical screening and diagnostic breast imaging, and to provide treatment for women who may otherwise go without.

Facilities supported through this collaborative program will be equipped with Hologic's 3D Mammography™ system, which features the Genius® 3D Mammography™ exam. The Genius exam is the only mammogram FDA approved as superior to 2D mammography for all women, including those with dense breasts, which is common among Black women.[vi],[vii],[viii],[ix]

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