What this means for Black residents of Pennsylvania
That figure runs materially above the US national average of 19.4 per 100,000 (age-adjusted).
Black women are diagnosed with breast cancer at slightly lower rates than white women but die at materially higher rates — a paradox driven by three factors: higher prevalence of the triple-negative subtype (which is more aggressive and harder to treat), later-stage diagnosis on average, and slower time-to-treatment after diagnosis. In Pennsylvania, the biggest state-actionable lever is parity in screening mammography access and completion of the follow-up abnormal-mammogram biopsy. Patient-navigator programs at NCI-designated cancer centers have repeatedly shown disparity-reducing effects.
The figures on this page are drawn from CDC WONDER + NCI SEER, which is the canonical public dataset for this indicator. See the References section below for supporting citations from MMWR, NEJM, and JAMA where the underlying drivers have been studied.
Policy actions
Policy levers at the state level for this indicator include Medicaid coverage scope, provider workforce investments, and data transparency mandates. The state's health department publishes the specific programs currently funded via its annual state health plan.
Where to get help in Pennsylvania
- Breast imaging / oncology — NCI-designated cancer centers in Pennsylvania: NCI center finder
- CDC National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program: free screening for uninsured women
- Sisters Network Inc. (national Black breast cancer survivor network): sistersnetworkinc.org
References & primary sources
- Primary dataset: CDC WONDER + NCI SEER
- NCI SEER Cancer Statistics Review. seer.cancer.gov
- DeSantis CE et al. Breast cancer statistics for African American women. CA Cancer J Clin. Biennial update.
Data refreshed:
Where to go next
A number changes nothing on its own. These are the Pennsylvania pages that act on it.
Programs you can use in Pennsylvania
States ranked next to Pennsylvania on breast cancer mortality
- North Carolina 29.60 per 100,000 Black women, age-adjusted · ranked 12 of 51
- Tennessee 29.30 per 100,000 Black women, age-adjusted · ranked 14 of 51
- Texas 29.10 per 100,000 Black women, age-adjusted · ranked 16 of 51
- New Jersey 28.90 per 100,000 Black women, age-adjusted · ranked 18 of 51