Research
In this episode of Breast Cancer Breakthroughs, we speak with Komen grantees Dr. Tarah Ballinger, medical oncologist at Indiana University School of Medicine, and Dr. Pedram Razavi, medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, about the biggest highlights from the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting and what they could mean for patients.
According to the National Cancer Institute, mammograms correctly identify about 87% of breast cancers present at the time of screening. Researchers are investigating whether AI software can help radiologists detect breast cancer with even more accuracy.
Researchers are exploring new frontiers in early estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients. People with early ER+ breast cancer often see favorable outcomes from their treatment, but once treatment is done, many face the fear of not knowing if their cancer will come back.
Due in part to underrepresentation in clinical trials, Black women in the U.S. are at higher risk from dying of breast cancer than white women. Komen Scholar Bryan Schneider, M.D., trial lead for the EAZ171 clinical trial, is seeking to overcome these disparities in outcomes for Black women with breast cancer by personalizing chemotherapy.
“The unprecedented health and economic crisis we are undergoing as a nation has highlighted how important our patient support, research and advocacy are for people facing breast cancer – they need us now, more than ever,”
– Paula Schneider, Komen’s President and CEO
As a trusted source of breast health information, Susan G. Komen supports new treatments and technologies that are evidence-based and will bring the greatest benefits to patients. The path from the lab to the clinic is never fast or easy.
“In the Black community, there’s a stigma about treatment, clinical trials and research. We have to understand that there’s not enough data to help us if we get sick. There’s not enough data to create treatments that will help us. We need to participate in clinical trials.” Sharon Elmore-Anderson Patient Advocate Living with Metastatic IBC
Sheila Johnson had never planned to be a fierce advocate for clinical trials, but her life took a dramatic turn when she lost her mother to metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in 2004. Just five years later, she found that she also had MBC when her doctor found the burning sensation she felt was the result of a tumor pressing against the wall of her chest. At the time of her diagnosis, the tumor had already spread to her ribs and liver. Following multiple rounds of chemotherapy, Sheila’s doctor offered her another option.
After the initial shock of a breast cancer diagnosis, patients with early breast cancer are immediately faced with important decisions about their treatment plan, including how to manage their risk of recurrence. As they navigate a modern landscape of treatment options, these patients must also make decisions that could dramatically impact their quality of life.
The connection between diet and breast cancer risk has been studied extensively over the past 20 years. According to the American Cancer Society, improved lifestyle habits, including a healthier diet may reduce the risk of many cancers, including breast cancer. As everyday consumers, we know a healthy diet can improve our overall physical fitness, as well as our energy levels and mental stamina, but can it also help reduce our breast cancer risk?
“Over the past 10 years, 19 FDA-approved breast cancer drugs have a connection to Komen. “We are able to show the points along the research pathway for each of the 19 drugs where Komen funding has helped in development and eventual clinical use, either through investments in direct studies or investments in people doing the research,” said Dana Brantley-Sieders.
Black women in the U.S. are about 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women and the cause of this is multifaceted.
