Disparities in uterine cancer survival in a Brooklyn cohort of black women

Aim: The present study evaluates uterine cancer survival in a black cohort living in Brooklyn and determines whether foreign-born women have a health benefit over those born in the USA. Materials & methods: De-identified cancer registry data were obtained for all black patients (n = 311) diagnosed with primary uterine cancer between 1993 and 2007. Survival rates were analyzed according to place of birth. Results: The 5-year survival rate was slightly higher for US-born black patients; the predictors of overall survival were different for foreign-born black women compared with US-born black women. Age was a predictor of death in US-born women and type of treatment was a predictor in foreign-born women. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that grouping together US-born and foreign-born black patients may mask important differences within the black population. The observed differences between US-born and foreign-born black patients may be associated with variations in environmental and other lifestyle exposures that contribute to more aggressive histologic types.