Two gynecologists who reviewed the findings agreed that better screening — for all women — is key to reducing the death toll from cervical cancer.
“The disparity in cervical cancer rates between whites and blacks illustrates the difference in medical care received by different populations in the United States,” said Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
“This is an ongoing problem with many socioeconomic factors,” she said. “Better community outreach for preventative care and also special attention for high-risk populations may help to decrease rates of cervical cancer.”
Dr. Mitchell Maiman is chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Staten Island University Hospital, also in New York City.
He said that “every effort must be made to ensure that modern concepts in cervical cancer screening are executed. We must monitor our HPV vaccine programs with the goal of universal participation, and make sure that there are no racial disparities in its implementation.”
The study appears in the Jan. 23 issue of the journal Cancer.