Asian Kiwi women had the lowest breast screening rates, the report showed. File image. Photo: AFP
Asian women in New Zealand are getting breast cancer at a younger age than any other comparable groups.
A report by the Breast Cancer Foundation found the median age for invasive breast cancer diagnoses for Asian Kiwi women was 52 - the lowest among all major ethnic groups.
The findings were based on analysis of data between 2003 and 2020.
The study also found that compared to other ethnic groups, Asians had the largest proportion of diagnoses in the pre-menopausal age group between 45 and 54.
The Breast Cancer Foundation's research manager Adele Gautier said more needed to be done to understand breast cancer among diverse Asian populations in Aotearoa.
She said despite Asians overall higher survival rates, it's important to understand where the pockets of risks were.
"We do know Asian women have much better survival, but we need to know which ones don't have such good survival and why that might be, and so now we can start breaking down some of that data, to understand.
"Because in each population there are still sub pockets that have a higher risk than others, and those are the people you really want to talk to," she said.
Gautier said Asians were the ethnicity least reported on in breast cancer studies in Aotearoa, and that there needed to be more research into patterns and changes the group was facing.
She said recent international studies were showing an increase in rates of breast cancer for Asian women living in western countries.
Meanwhile, the report also showed Asian Kiwi women had the lowest breast screening rates, with just over 60 per cent participating in screening pre-pandemic, and less than half of Asian women with breast cancer being diagnosed through screening.
Aucklander Sara Chin was diagnosed with grade 2 breast cancer at age 31.
Her diagnosis came about after she noticed a lump in her breast and got checked at a general practice.
Chin said she was fit and healthy at the time of her diagnosis, and was encouraging young women to be vigilant and get checked if they're concerned.
Breast cancer survivor Lyn Wayman was just 32 when she first got diagnosed in the Philippines, before she migrated to New Zealand.
Wayman, now 73, had been through surgery three times.
She said people should get checked if they notice something abnormal, even if they're of pre-screening age.
Wayman said she hoped the screening age in New Zealand could be lowered to include younger women.
Currently, all women between 45 and 69 were eligible for a free mammogram once every two years to check for breast cancer.
Meanwhile, Te Whatu Ora did not give specific answers to RNZ's questions on whether there would be any targeted campaign towards younger Asian women about breast cancer symptoms - given the younger trends.
A spokesperson said they're aware of the low screening coverage for Asian New Zealanders, but couldn't answer specifically what would be done to help lift participation for Asians.
They said the 2021 budget included $55.6 million to replace BreastScreen Aotearoa's information and communications technology system over the next four years, which was expected to reduce barriers to screening and improve equity of access.