Common Endometrial Cancer Test is Less Effective for Black Women, Research Shows
Women who have abnormal bleeding after menopause typically undergo a non-invasive procedure — a transvaginal ultrasound — to look for signs of uterine cancer. But research suggests that test misses far more cancers in Black women compared to white women.
Black people with uteruses are more likely to develop endometrial cancer, and recent studies suggest that frequent exposure to chemical hair straighteners may be a factor. They're also twice as likely to die from endometrial cancer, making early detection all the more crucial. (Endometrial cancer is a type of uterine cancer, the Cleveland Clinic explains, although the terms are often used interchangeably.)
But the current guidelines that doctors and radiologists use to interpret transvaginal ultrasounds simply aren't as effective for this group, experts say, meaning the test misses signs of cancer in Black women.
That may be leading to delayed diagnoses among Black women — who are already more likely to develop aggressive forms of endometrial cancer.
