Breast cancer screening outcomes among Mexican-origin Hispanic women participating in a breast cancer screening program

Breast cancer is the commonest occurring cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women in the USA. Although their overall breast cancer incidence and mortality is lower, incidence rates are rising faster and mortality declines are lower than other groups. It is expected that the breast cancer burden will rise as this population ages and becomes more acculturated. It is therefore important to better characterize their screening outcomes. This is an observational study of socioeconomically disadvantaged Hispanic women participating in a community-based breast cancer screening program that offered no-cost testing and navigation services in two US-Mexico border counties. Outcomes include results of screening mammograms, diagnostic tests and breast findings. Of 1,966 eligible women, 1,675 (85%) completed a screening mammogram and were included in this analysis. Mean age was 56 years (SD: 6.8 years, range 50 to 75.6 years); 99% were Hispanic and 83.6% had less than high school education. 19.3% of the initial mammogram results were abnormal (BIRADS 0, 3, 4, or 5); a diagnostic mammogram was indicated in 12.2% (n = 205), a diagnostic ultrasound in 26.4% (n = 443), and biopsies in 3.0% (n = 51) of the total. Eleven women (0.66%) had breast cancer diagnosed. Mexican-origin Hispanic women had higher recall rates, but similar biopsy and cancer rates to general screening populations despite their overall lower incidence and mortality in the USA. This suggests that the expected rise in future breast cancer burden among US Hispanics due to aging and acculturation could occur sooner than expected.