Breast cancer may be on the rise in U.S.-based Latinas

	Tweet

Breast cancer is an understudied and poorly understood disease in Hispanic/Latina populations in the U.S., and breast cancer appears to be presenting at an earlier age in this population, on average 10 years younger when compared to Caucasian women.

The findings were presented by researchers from the Arizona Cancer Center and the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center at the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Symposium in Torrance, CA.

“We need to understand the magnitude and profile of breast cancer in our Latina population in the U.S.,” according to Elena Martinez, Ph.D., of the Arizona Cancer Center. “If we do not make the effort to understand breast cancer as this population ages and adopts lifestyles common to the U.S., we could be looking at a major public health problem and higher burden of disease.”

To support this effort, the Avon Foundation announced a $1 million grant to enable researchers in the U.S. and Mexico to undertake an international research initiative to assess the specific types of breast cancer occurring in Latinas in both countries. The money will fund studies conducted in coordination among the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and the Universities of Sonora and Guadalajara in Mexico.

“In keeping with our mission to support the medically underserved, the Avon Foundation is proud to support four major institutions across two countries to help find the solution to the issue of breast cancer in Latina women,” said Avon Foundation Executive Director Carol Kurzig.

Preliminary data also suggests a higher rate of breast cancer may exist for those Latinas born in the U.S. than in those born in Mexico. However, researchers are quick to point out the only way to verify these numbers is to conduct a large-scale research initiative in both the U.S. and in Mexico.

“We do not know why we are seeing breast cancer at an earlier age for this population. It is unclear if the adoption of behaviors common in the U.S. is driving these numbers up for U.S.-born Latinas or, more worrisome, if Latinas suffer a higher sensitivity to certain risk factors common in the U.S.,” said Melissa Bondy, Ph.D., of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. “The Avon Foundation grant allows us to address these and other important questions about the type of disease and treatments among U.S. and Mexican Latinas in a larger, well- characterized population.”

Jorge Gomez, MD, PhD, Chief of the Organs System Branch at the National Cancer Institute, confirmed that the current U.S. data on Latina breast cancer may not as accurate as we have thought, and that this research allows the U.S. to avoid a potential future health crisis with regard to breast cancer.

“We simply do not currently have accurate data on Latinas and breast cancer in this country, but we do know a problem exists,” said Gomez, “Finally, thanks to a private funding initiative, researchers in both countries are enabled to do their jobs, and to save future lives.”

Through this major research initiative, the Avon Foundation grant aims to capture a true estimate of breast cancer patterns in Latina women, including age at diagnosis; subtype of the disease; and the influence of known risk factors on rate of diagnosis by comparing an enriched population in Mexico with Mexican Americans residing in the United States. The program will collect clinical data, treatment data, preliminary outcome data and will characterize tumors by genetic analysis.

http://www.avonfoundation.org

RELATED STORIES:
Digital mammography may improve cancer detection   High CTC levels predicted poor outcome in metastatic breast cancer   New findings may improve treatment of inherited breast cancer   Men less likely to survive early breast cancer   Sexual intimacy and breast cancer survivors: New research   Soy in childhood may reduce breast cancer risk   Error rate higher in breast imaging reports generated by automatic speech recognition   Partners of breast cancer patients are at risk of developing mood disorders   Most breast cancers not linked to ovarian cancer   New breast cancer guidelines “unsafe”: women   New role discovered for breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1   Tamoxifen Chemoprevention Tied to Early Detection of Breast Cancer   Link Found Between Vegetables and Decreased Risk of Breast Cancer   New guidelines emphasize use of breast MRI to supplement standard imaging   Millions of Cameroon girls suffer “breast ironing”   ‘Bridge’ Protein Spurs Deadliest Stages of Breast Cancer   Study confirms link between breast implants and rare form of cancer   Treatment of breast cancer in pregnancy   Lymph node removal not needed for some breast cancer   Breast Cancer Experts Available for Comment   Bone drug works for breast cancer survivors   Plant-rich diets tied to lower breast cancer risk

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]