Breast cancer incidence rates have been relatively stable over the past decade; however, recent studies are revealing that breast cancer rates among Asian American women have been rapidly increasing. Since 2000, breast cancer occurrence among Asian American and Pacific Islander women under 50 years of age has increased by 50%, growing more than 2% every year since 2012, according to a 2024 report from the American Cancer Society.
But before we dig into this new data, we want to explain the use of the term “Asian American.” The information reported here is based on U.S. statistics because the U.S. actively collects this type of demographic health data. Canada, on the other hand, has limited data collection on race, income or other social factors, because it’s simply not being collected. This makes it difficult to identify trends like the increase in breast cancer rates among Asian Americans. As a result, we rely on U.S. or international statistics that do not fully reflect life in Canada. If you’d like to read more about race and ethnicity-based data collection, read our recent blog here.
In 2000, Asian American and Pacific Islander women in under 50 had the second-lowest rate of breast cancer among all racial groups. According to this report, they now share the highest rate with White women, at about 86 cases per 100,000 people. Among Asian American women, Korean, Chinese, Filipina and South Asian Americans face the highest risk of breast cancer. While most Asian American women, including Chinese and Japanese Americans, are less likely to die from breast cancer than White women, the mortality rates for Filipina and Pacific Islander women are 30% higher.
Incidence and mortality rates vary widely among different ethnicities, and Asians are a highly diverse group of people, comprising over 40 countries and countless ethnicities. When reporting on breast cancer statistics, Asian women are often grouped together, overlooking the many unique cultures, languages, and historical backgrounds of each community. These differences could impact factors such as screening rates, early or late diagnoses, knowledge about health, access to health services, and other factors associated with reporting and prevalence.
For example, two commonly used indicators for identifying breast cancer risk, body mass index (BMI) and breast density, are largely based on Caucasian populations and may not be as accurate for Black and Asian women. Developing Black and Asian-specific BMI standards would be a start in creating more tailored tools for understanding personal risk. Breast density may also be a less accurate indicator for Asian women who tend to have denser breasts. Also, guidelines that recommend beginning screening at 50 or older may not be helpful for this group because breast cancer rates are sharply increasing among Asian women between the ages of 45-49.
Asian American and Pacific Islander women also have some of the lowest screening rates. When called back for further imaging after screening, Asian women tend not to return or return much later than they should. Stigma around cancer is still widespread within many Asian cultures, as well as the belief that consulting a doctor is only necessary when pain or illness becomes too much to bear. Often, diseases and other health issues are seen as personal battles to be fought or endured. Sharing this information with loved ones and relatives is believed to cause unnecessary stress and create the perception of being a financial or emotional burden.
Having a healthcare provider that that is culturally competent or speaks the same language has been shown to have a positive impact on a person’s health outcomes. This would not only be helpful for Asian patients but also other non-White communities, such as Indigenous, Black, or Hispanic individuals. It can be an important step in providing a more inclusive system of care.
Collecting and organizing data by ethnicity is important in understanding what’s driving the rapid rise in breast cancer among Asian women. In addition to including multicultural populations in research studies and clinical trials to allow for a better understanding of breast cancer outcomes in specific subgroups, researchers must also gain a better understanding of the gaps in the health care system when it comes to serving diverse populations. To do this, we must start by collecting this data.
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