UH Cancer Center secures $3M grant to study breast cancer disparities in Hawaiʻi

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As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins this October, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center researchers have been awarded a $3 million National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant to investigate why early-stage breast cancer becomes invasive in some patients but not others.

Led by Lenora Loo, a researcher in the Cancer Biology Program, and Brenda Hernandez, a researcher in Cancer Epidemiology and Principal Investigator for the Hawaiʻi Tumor Registry, the five-year study focuses on Hawaiʻi's unique population, particularly Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) patients historically underrepresented in cancer research.

The study examines ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Accounting for 20% of new U.S. breast cancer diagnoses, DCIS can progress to invasive cancer, but a subset of cases never does. This unpredictability makes it challenging for clinicians to determine who needs aggressive treatment versus less intensive care. To address this, the team will evaluate lifestyle, health, social factors, and tumor biology, comparing DCIS and invasive tumors from the same patients.

In Hawaiʻi, breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women and the second leading cause of female cancer deaths, averaging 172 deaths and thousands of invasive diagnoses annually. Cancer is the second leading cause of death (after cardiovascular disease) in Hawai'i. Nearly 76,000 people in Hawai'i are living with cancer, and each year an average of 2,519 Hawai'i residents die of cancer, says the center's "Hawai'i Cancer at a Glance" report.

Prior research by Loo and Hernandez using data from the UH Cancer Center's Multiethnic Cohort Study revealed that Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and Japanese DCIS patients face a higher risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the same breast compared with White patients.

By identifying the biological mechanisms behind progression, researchers hope to improve risk identification and enable tailored treatment plans so patients receive care appropriate to their specific risk level.

About The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center

The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center is dedicated to saving lives in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. It is inspiring hope by working to conquer cancer. The flagship priority is to understand and address cancer health disparities. The center strives to achieve this through research, education, patient care, and community outreach, focusing on the unique and diverse ethnic, cultural, and environmental characteristics of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific.

The UH Cancer Center is one of only 74 institutions designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), representing a significant mark of excellence, and is the only NCI-designated cancer center in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The center contributes more than $57 million to Hawai'i's economy through scientific research, clinical trials, and other activities.

As part of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the UH Cancer Center operates out of facilities located in Kakaʻako. The center directly employs more than 300 faculty and staff, with an additional 200 affiliate members and cooperative agreements with organizations that are part of the Hawaiʻi Cancer Consortium. The consortium includes The Queen's Health Systems, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, Kuakini Medical Center, Adventist Health Castle, Hilo Benioff Medical Center, Hawaiʻi Medical Service Association (HMSA), and the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM), all working together with the UH Cancer Center to advance cancer research and treatment in the state.

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