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Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) in Women of African Ancestry

  Faculty of Science - Department of Biology,

  Ms. Blessing Bassey-Archibong (Ph.D. student) (blessingbassey28@gmail.com), Mr. Shawn Hercules (Ph.D. student) (shawnhercules@gmail.com), Ms. Lyndsay Rayner (M.Sc. Student) (raynerlg@mcmaster.ca)

  Status
ongoing
  Start Date
January, 2012
  Countries
Barbados, Jamaica, Nigeria, United States of America

The aggressive TNBC have a poor prognosis because it lacks specific therapies. Notably, TNBC is most common in young WAA who have low BC incidence but higher death rates than Caucasians. This racial disparity is unrelated to socio-economic status and hints at an ancestral genetic predisposition. We are collecting and analyzing TNBC tissues from two ancestrally-linked populations (West African & Caribbean) to identify unique genetic risk factors that may explain the high TNBC prevalence and death rates in WAA, and which may be developed as TNBC-specific diagnostic biomarkers or drug targets.

Impact

Identifying genetic differences in WAA will help us better understand TNBC and develop diagnostic tests to screen WAA for TNBC. Our findings may also lead to the development of treatments or drugs that benefit all TNBC patients regardless of ethnicity, increase survival rates and enhance the quality of life for women diagnosed with this deadly disease. Our findings would also begin to close the racial disparities gap in breast cancer outcomes.

Student Experience

Two of my graduate students (Bassey-Archibong & Hercules) have travelled to Nigeria and Barbados to collect tumor samples, clinico-pathological and epidemiological data from women of African Ancestry in these countries. They have also given oral presentations about the project or been interviewed on local Radio stations in Barbados. Most of my trainees (graduate and undergraduate students) are actively involved in organizing and/or speaking at our “Think Beyond Love Pink Breast Cancer Awareness & Education” workshops for women of African ancestry in Hamilton, Toronto, Barbados and Nigeria.

Countries
Barbados, Jamaica, Nigeria, United States of America
Impact
Research, Education, Global Partnerships
Institutional Partner(s)
University of West Indies- Cave Hill Barbados, University of West Indies- Mona Jamaica, Lagos University Teaching Hospital - Nigeria, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital - Nigeria, Henry Forde Health System - Detroit USA
Community Partner(s)
The Olive Branch of Hope Cancer Support Services, Toronto
Industry Partner(s)
Key Outcomes
Publications, Patents, Other
Sponsorship
Provincial
Community
Sponsorship Details
This research project is funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) which just merged with the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (CCSRI). We were also funded by a Women’s XChange 15K Challenge Grant to run our community “Think Beyond Love Pink Breast Cancer Awareness & Education” workshops.
MOU
no

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