Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer

Late-stage breast cancer was discovered in almost 25% of black African and 22% of black Caribbean patients. The degree is only 13% in white breast cancer patients. Low level of understanding of symptoms and screening is the main reason according to specialists.

Black women as compared to white women do not attend mammogram visit when requested by the NHS. This was stated by Cancer Research UK. Breast screening is offered to all women in England aged between 50 and 70.

Early stage detection of a disease is very essential. This will signify a greater chance of survival.

"A lot of us black people bury our head in the sand. 'Oh, me, well, I don't need to go, there's nothing wrong with me'," one woman at a breast-cancer support group for women of black African and Caribbean descent told the BBC.

Another woman said: "I find a lot of people; they'll find out something is wrong, but they keep it to themselves, and they're praying. They're praying that God will heal them."

Heather Nelson, from BME Cancer Voice said, women of colour are less likely to participate in screenings because they don't perceive themselves included in information leaflets regarding breast cancer.

"You'll get leaflets through your door, and they will be predominantly of white, middle-class women. There's no representation of South Asian, African descent et cetera," she told the BBC.

"If you get information like that, you're going to look and think, 'That's not about me.'"

Dr Julie Sharp, from Cancer Research UK, hinted women to be conscious of the breast cancer symptoms. "If you notice something that isn't normal for you, or you've a symptom that's not gone away or has got worse, getting it checked out promptly could save your life," she said.

Lumps are not the sole evidence of probable breast cancer. Women must seek a professional help if they detect whatever breast alterations such as nipple discharge or distinct skin color.

However, painful breast isn't commonly an indication of breast cancer.

The data from 2012-13 revealed, the majority of breast-cancer cases were still detected at an early stage across all ethnic groups.