Posted on February 23, 2010

Breast Cancer in Latinas Target of New International Study

Susan G. Komen for the Cure has announced a $1 million grant for the largest study ever conducted of breast cancer in Latin American women.

The study is part of private-public partnership spearheaded by the National Cancer Institute's Office of Latin American Cancer Program Development that will work to support the development of cancer research programs, clinical trials, and capacity building efforts in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay. Participating countries will link their research efforts through the cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid, an information network that allows researchers to share data and knowledge, and will also develop pilot projects designed to enhance research and improve delivery of cancer treatments to patients in the United States and Latin America.

In 2009, an estimated 14,000 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in Hispanic women, and more than 2,200 women died as a result of the disease, making breast cancer the leading cause of cancer death among Latinas in the United States. Breast cancer in Latinas is more often diagnosed at a later stage (when the disease is more advanced) than those found in non-Hispanic women.

"This landmark collaboration between Komen, NCI, and five Latin American countries will help us get to answers about genetics, environment, and social issues that contribute to breast cancer deaths in Latinas," said Komen for the Cure founder and CEO Nancy G. Brinker. "Importantly, [it] will also help us develop strategies to reduce breast cancer incidence and death in this large and growing group — both in Latin American countries and among Hispanic populations here in the U.S."