Women from rural areas have higher risk of late-stage breast cancer

A prescription to buy Tamoxifen is one of the best ways to prevent a recurrence of breast cancer, but new research suggest that many women may not receive the chance to reap the benefits of the drug.

A team of researchers from the University of Missouri showed that women who live in rural areas are significantly more likely than those who live in cities to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer. This form of the disease is much more difficult to treat with conventional medications.

The distance a woman had to travel to a major healthcare facility appeared to be the strongest predictor of the stage at which they would be diagnosed with breast cancer. Those who had to travel between 50 and 75 miles were shown to have a 10 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer.

Given the fact that most medications are less effective when used against late-stage cancer, the researchers said their findings underscore the importance of early diagnosis.

"The stage at which the cancer is diagnosed has a tremendous impact on the type of treatment, recovery and survivability," said lead researcher Faustine Williams. "Finding ways to identify and treat breast cancer sooner are keys to increasing survivability."