(WXYZ) — Black women in the U.S. are more likely to develop aggressive forms of cancer and less likely to survive. But why?
A groundbreaking new study by the American Cancer Society, Voices of Black Women, is seeking answers.
Today, we explore how this 30-year research initiative is tackling cancer disparities head-on.
For Sati Smith, cancer hits close to home.
"My mother is a cancer survivor," Smith said. "I have friends and family members who are fighting currently."
She has seen the battle and knows that Black women are hit hard by the disease in almost all of its forms.
"For Black women in particular, the death rate is the highest and the survival rate is the lowest," Smith said.
According to the American Cancer Society, Black women have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial or ethnic group in the US for almost all forms of cancers. Black women are 8% less likely to be diagnosed with cancer than White women but 12% more likely to die if diagnosed. Black women under the age of 50 are twice as likely to die of breast cancer than white women.
To change this trend, Smith who is CEO of Diversified Members Credit Union in Detroit, signed on as an ambassador for Voices of Black Women
"(I will be ambassador) as well as a participant. All right," Smith said. "For 30 years, I'm committed, dedicated, and passionate about it."
With a prominent sign in the lobby of DMCU's Main Branch
"I'll be the voice," Smith said. "I'll tell people about the voices of black women and the American Cancer Society. This study is so important."
Voices of Black Women in partnership with the American Cancer Society hopes to improve the health of Black women by tracking their behaviors, environment, and lifestyle. Dr. Lauren McCullough, Co-Principal investigator of Voices of Black Women says to do that they need to recruit 100-thousand Black women between the ages of 25 and 55 in 20 states who have never had cancer.
"To be able to look at why Black women disproportionately develop aggressive types of cancer, we need to begin with a group of women who don't have cancer at all," Dr. McCullough said.
And track their exposures, behaviors, and interactions with the health care system for the next 30 years. The time commitment is low - a half hour survey twice a year.
"But given that cancer is a disease that develops over a long course of time, we really need that long time window to really understand what's happening in this population," Dr. McCullough said.
This is not a clinic study, there are no medications or treatments – an important note given the history of medical science mistreatment suffered by African Americans highlighted by the Tuskegee Experiment. Dr McCullough says 80% of the study’s leadership is composed of Black women.
"We come with that perspective of, you know, as being a part of this group in the perspective of our grandmothers and aunts and sisters and communities," Dr. McCullough said.
"So, I am one of those individuals that is actively enrolled," Smith said.
And fighting for that community and for Detroit is why Sati Smith is using her voice to recruit others to shine a light on factors that influence aggressive cancers in Black women.
"We need you for this study. Because what we do today could affect people positively tomorrow, ten, 20, and 30 years from now," Smith said.
This is a 30-year study, but Dr. McCullough points out it’s not going to take 30 years to get answers.
She expects to have fresh and new insights as early as five years after they reach their recruitment goals.
Insights that could potentially impact the health of women enrolled in the study.
For instance if they learn of new information that causes a change in screening for cancers and other health issues.
If you’re interested in participating in the study, you can find more information at this link.
