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

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."