HOUSTON–Sisters Network Inc. will hold its third National African American Breast Cancer Tour in Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday, March 23, 2013 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at Second Baptist Church, 914 N. Acadian Thruway West.
Sisters Network Inc. is the only national African American breast cancer survivorship organization in the nation. The conference will be hosted by the Baton Rouge chapter in partnership with the organization’s national office. Presentations include “Triple Negative Breast Cancer” by B. Jay Brooks, Jr., M.D., chairman, department of hematology-oncology, Ochsner Clinic, and “Advanced Breast Cancer,” Deborah Abernathy, M.D., hematologist/oncologist.
The innovative 10-city tour highlights general breast health awareness information as well as two major areas–triple negative and advanced breast cancer–which frequently affect African American women.
Remaining tour dates include Baltimore, Md., April 27; Detroit, Mich., May 25; Richmond, Va., June 29; Tampa, Fla., July 27; Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 31, Newark, N.J., Sept. 28, and Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 26.
Each one-day conference is co-hosted with Sisters Network host city chapters. Breast cancer survivors, clinicians, caregivers and the community are invited to attend. For more information, please visit www.sistersnetworkinc.org or call toll free 1-866-781-1808. To register, please visit https://donate.sistersnetworkinc.org/2013-bcct-baton-rouge or call.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among African American women. In 2013, an estimated 27,060 new cases of breast cancer and 6,080 deaths are expected to occur among African American women according to the American Cancer Society Facts & Figures 2013-2014. The incidence of breast cancer among women under 45 is higher for African American women compared to White women.
However, the risk of breast cancer for all women increases with age. African American women are more likely to be diagnosed with larger tumors and more advanced stages of breast cancer despite a lower incidence rate. The five-year survival rate for African American women is 78 percent, as compared to 90 percent for White women.
