Volusia County, FL - With this month being breast cancer awareness month, a new study is released that shows how breast cancer has affected Volusia County.
The Center for Disease Control reports that around 237,000 women and over 2,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year with around 41,000 women and 450 men dying annually from the disease.
Florida Health's study says that Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) has set an age-adjusted rate of 20.7 breast cancer deaths per 100,000 females as the national target.
Florida's rate was slightly lower with 19 deaths per 100,000 females, but Volusia County matched the HP2020 target of 20.7 deaths in 2017.
In 2017, Volusia County saw a rise and fall in numbers when it came to breast cancer deaths and hospitalizations.
Non-Hispanic "Other" women had the lowest number of deaths per 100,000 females at 10.7 deaths, but the largest decrease overall came from Hispanic women with a 46.4% drop from 2013 to 2017. That's 20.9 deaths to only 11.2 per 100,000 in 2017.
The breast cancer rate in Non-Hispanic black women rose 3% in 2017, the rate changing from 19.1 to 22.4. Non-Hispanic white women saw a decrease of about 4% since 2013, but according to the Florida Health report, they still have the highest rate of deaths at 23.0.
When it comes to where in the county is most affected, southwest Volusia leads with 22.0 as their rate, and northwest as the lowest with 16.0. Northeast and southeast Volusia both sit in the middle with 19.8 and 21.0 deaths, respectively.
Northwest Volusia has had the largest decrease out of all parts of the county, with a 36.3% decrease since 2013.
However, on the converse, hospitalizations for breast cancer increased by 42% and 23% for the northeast and southwest, while decreasing for the northwest and southeast by 68% and 20% since 2013.
When it comes to the percentage of women hospitalized for breast cancer, Non-Hispanic white women top the numbers with 68.9% of all breast cancer patients hospitalized in Volusia County. They also have the highest rate of deaths at 86%.
"Other" and Hispanic women had higher percentages of hospitalizations due to breast cancer compared to their percentage of the population in 2017 (3.8% and 12.9% respectively.)
Non-Hispanic black women have had a slight increase between 2016 and 2017, with the percentage of hospitalizations going from 6.5% to 9.8%, and breast cancer deaths jumping from 5.5% to 8.1%.
One of the most important things to remember in breast cancer awareness month is that regular screenings and early detections are key when it comes to breast cancer. It's never a bad time to check and get tested or screened.
Test options exist outside the doctor's office with many different techniques available for an in-home test, but a professional opinion is always recommended.
For more information on breast cancer and screening help, you can click here and visit Florida Health's page.
