CALIFORNIA ? Women of color are less likely than white women to be adequately screened for breast cancer, a new study shows, and that disparity could account for why African-Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage tumors and die from the disease.

The study, led by a University of California, San Francisco radiologist, looked at more than 1 million women over age 40 who received mammograms between 1996 and 2000. The data show that African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians are less likely than white women to get mammograms every one to two years, as recommended.

Of the million-plus women screened, 17,558 were diagnosed with breast cancer.