This disparity is not only higher in Mississippi and Louisiana, but it also exists nationally, with black women being 40 percent more likely than white women to succumb to breast cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It exists despite the fact the CDC reporting that breast cancer rates for black and white women are roughly the same. These disparities are likely to be explained by anyone who has looked at maternal mortality, another area in which black women are more prevalent than white women. Pew describes a “perfect storm” of scientific and social factors that led to breast cancer treatment in black women not being as effective as white women. Researchers have not yet developed advanced cancer treatments for black women, and recent advances in other types of cancer therapy have not been proven to be effective in minorities. This is partly due to the lack of diversity in clinical trials. The article also mentions racism. Black women feel more marginalized by the health system. Doctors, nurses, and support groups are often not like them. Black women are more likely not to have access to health insurance, jobs, or transit. This is particularly prevalent in the South. Alisha Cornell, a North Carolina registered nurse, said that the treatment she received made her feel unimportant or shameful. You can read the entire story here.