Abstract title: Stage of breast cancer at presentation in non-U.S. citizens as compared to U.S. citizens. Author(s): T. Aiti, K. Grauslyte, T. Mackevicius, E. A. Marcus, G. Lazzaro, J. Greager, T. E. Lad. For more information, please visit 2010 ASCO Annual Meeting Abstracts website.

Detection of a protein called p53 using a specific antibody test may be an improved biomarker for predicting worse survival in African-American women with breast cancer, according to a study at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The study revealed that compared to Basal Subtype, a well known marker of poor prognosis for breast cancer, only p53 status was able to independently predict significantly worse survival for African-American women.

African American women have lower breast cancer incidence rates compared to White women, but suffer survival disparity with the highest mortality rates ...continue reading →

Dr. Keith Dookeran

New research presented by Dr. Keith A. Dookeran at the recent ASCO 2006 Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, shows that abnormal levels of the tumor suppressor gene, p53, in breast cancer is more likely to predict survival in African-American than Hispanic or white women.

Dr. Dookeran found that for all races, p53 expression demonstrated similar trends of association and correlation with high grade, hormone receptor negative, aggressive type tumors. Survival between racial groups was not different according to p53 status, however within racial groups, abnormal p53 expression was only able to predict significantly worse survival in African-American women, and this association appeared to be independent of stage and age ...continue reading →

The reason for higher African American cancer death rates may be doctors' failure to recommend appropriate chemotherapy and minorities' ability to access expensive treatment. Or it could be a matter of genetics that predispose some people to hard-to treat tumors.

African Americans have a higher chance of developing cancer and dying than that of any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. But new research, presented at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in April, suggests that both access to health care and a propensity to develop hard-to-treat tumors play a role in the diagnosis and mortality disparities. By Ariel Whitworth - Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 98, No. 10 - May 17, 2006

Read more at JNCI Cancer Spectrum - PDF.

hopkinsbreastcenter.org - ARTEMIS - May 02, 2006

The racial disparity in breast cancer prognosis and survival may have more to do with socioeconomic status, rather than biological factors, according to a study of women diagnosed and treated at a public hospital. The results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Though the population sample was relatively small, including 341 African-American and 94 white women, the results suggest that low economic standing contributes to similarly poor prognostic profiles for tumor grade and estrogen receptor status in both races, according to the researchers ...continue reading →