Closing the gap in breast cancer deaths among African-American women
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Biologically aggressive subtypes of breast cancer occur more frequently in women of African ancestry. Studies have demonstrated that underserved minority populations experience higher rates of mutations in the breast cancer-linked BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and have less access to genetic testing and uptake of risk-reducing interventions.
To close the gap in breast cancer mortality among women of African ancestry, a research team led by breast cancer geneticist Olufunmilayo Olopade, MD, is developing a sophisticated risk tool that can be used to classify women into risk categories and then develop and personalize culturally tailored risk-reducing interventions in the clinic.
Olopade’s team will test the hypothesis that state-of-the-art genomic testing combined with state-of-the-art MRI techniques can comprehensively characterize early breast cancers in genomically defined high-risk women, and provide effective and affordable strategies for risk-adapted management of mutation carriers in diverse populations.
Their research will lay the groundwork for a disparities and health equity-focused NCI Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant application in a few years.
Olopade says, “Our results will change clinical practice by allowing us to individualize risk assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer and improve overall outcomes for each patient.”
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