Familial breast cancer in black Americans.

A family history of breast cancer is a major risk factor in this disease, but current information is based entirely on data concerning white families. Two black American families with apparent excesses of breast cancer were studied. Thus far no specific basis for the excess risk has been identified. Despite limited knowledge, a clinical approach to counseling unaffected women in these families may reduce the probability of their dying from breast cancer and may help them to cope with this difficult problem.