Black women under 40 who have been diagnosed with breast cancer have a poorer overall survival rate than white women of the same age, a study has shown

Researchers from the University of Southampton found that survival rates were lower, despite having the same access to healthcare. The study shows that this group are more likely to have larger tumors and higher rates of triple negative breast cancer – a type which does not respond to hormone therapies. However, this does not fully explain why black women have poorer outcomes, especially for those with cancers which are sensitive to hormones. The study authors, who were sponsored by charity Cancer Research UK, said that unidentified biological factors could be to blame.