African-American women with an increased risk of fatal breast cancers, according to a study -
MedStar Washington Hospital Center analyzes the data on the molecular subtypes of cancer within
a research study by the MedStar Washington Hospital Center cancer experts found that African American women often have less favorable biological subtypes of breast cancer.
researchers at the Washington Hospital Center Cancer Institute analyzed the biology of breast cancer among 100 African women, using a US-Canada genomic profiling method. These genomic tests are watching the expression of genes associated with risk of recurrence in the population and yet characterizes the tumor biology. The MammaPrint test 70 genes was used to determine the likelihood of cancer recurrence. Of the 100 patients, 66 women in the study were considered high risk, meaning that their tumors had a higher risk of recurrence.
A companion BluePrint test was used to define the specific molecular subtype of each cancer. When classified by both genomic tests, African-American women of stage I breast cancer III often present subtypes of gene expression that were less favorable. The co-author of the research, Raquel Nunes, MD, medical oncologist at the Washington Cancer Institute, presented the data as a scientific poster at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.
"It is important that research continues to address these issues comprehensively, the biology of the disease to the development of optimal treatment and access to health care." said Dr. Nunes. "This work is particularly significant for us because it complements our interest in health disparities and highlights the enthusiastic participation of African Americans in research on breast cancer."
Unlike genetic tests such as those for the BRCA genes (which are inherited and examine the overall sensitivity for breast cancer development), genomic tests look at genes in a breast cancer cell and how they are expressed. the results confirm earlier research that examined the biological characteristics of breast cancer among African-American women, but that specific methodology reported here was used for the first time in this population.
the cancer specialists will continue to follow the patients in the research study over the next five years to assess their survival with treatment, based on their genetic profile.
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