Socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in screen-detected breast cancer in London.

Background: We investigated socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in screen-detected breast cancer in London-a city with relatively low breast cancer screening uptake and a diverse population.

Methods: Data on 11 957 breast cancers in London women aged 50-64 between 1998 and 2005 were extracted from the Thames Cancer Registry. We investigated the relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and the incidence and 5-year relative survival of screen-detected and non screen-detected cancers. Using logistic regression analysis we explored whether differences in screen-detected cancers between White, Asian and Black women were influenced by age and socioeconomic deprivation.

Results: The incidence of screen-detected breast cancer was lower in deprived women and their 5-year relative survival was worse than affluent women. However, survival differences were smaller for screen-detected disease. Among women with breast cancer the odds ratios (OR) for screen-detected disease differed between ethnic groups and these differences were not influenced by adjustment for age and deprivation. Compared with White women, Indian women had higher odds (OR 1.50, 95% confidence interval (1.23-1.84)], and Black Caribbean [0.68 (0.54-0.87)] and Black African women [0.53 (0.38-0.76)] significantly lower odds.

Conclusion: A sustained focus on increasing screening uptake among deprived women and in Black communities could decrease inequalities in early diagnosis.