Hispanic people are the second largest and youngest racial and ethnic group in the U.S., accounting for nearly 20% of the total population. Overall, Hispanic and Latina women in the U.S. have a low incidence of breast cancer, although it’s still the most common type of cancer diagnosed in this group.

One in 9 Hispanic and Latina women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. The death rates for Hispanic women with breast cancer are low compared to white and Black women, but breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women in the U.S. One reason may be that Hispanic women are often diagnosed at a later stage, with more advanced cancer than white women.

And breast cancer is more difficult to treat successfully at these later stages.

Some findings show Hispanic women may have a higher number of barriers to getting screening mammograms than women of other ethnicities, which could be a part of the later stage at diagnosis.

Triple negative breast cancer, or TNBC, may also be more common in Hispanic women compared to white women. TNBC is often an aggressive form of breast cancer that can be difficult to treat.

Lack of access to health care and language barriers may also contribute to delays in screening or diagnosis.

To learn more about breast cancer in Hispanic and Latina women, you can visit the Breast Cancer Statistics page on komen.org.