This study is funded by the U54 Grant #5U54CA143727: University of Guam/University of Hawaii Cancer Center Partnership under Dr. Neal Palafox. Since 2003, the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center (UH Cancer Center) and the University of Guam (UOG) have worked in partnership to explore the reasons behind significant cancer health disparities among Pacific Islanders in Hawaiʻi, Guam and the neighboring U.S. Associated Pacific Islands (USAPI). The University of Guam/University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center Partnership is one of only 14 Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (PACHE), a program of the NCI that supports cancer research capacity building at minority-serving institutions and collaborative research addressing cancer health disparities and their impact on underserved and socio-economically disadvantaged populations. The UOG/UH Cancer Center Partnership is the only PACHE serving Pacific Islanders (PI), with an emphasis on Micronesians. The partnership addresses cancer health disparities through research, training, and community outreach.
Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Hawaiʻi and the USAPI
Funding period:
—
Link to Shepherd Research Lab website: <click here>
Project Leads:
John Shepherd, PhD.
Grazyna Badowski, PhD.
Identify the trends in the prevalence of high breast cancer risk in AANHPI groups of women with and without breast cancer using established models compared to white women. Sub-hypothesis: The accuracy of current risk models are poor in AANHPI groups compared to white women.
Identify the unique breast density and imaging characteristics of women undergoing screening mammography in Hawaii and Guam. Sub-hypothesis: Breast density is uniquely associated with clinical risk factors, region, and race/ethnicity for women in Hawaii and the USAPI compared to non-Hispanic White women.
Explore the mechanisms and structure needed to curate unique clinical risk factors (age, BMI, family history, biopsy status, parity, first live birth age, HT use, menarche/menopause age) and clinical breast density in women undergoing breast cancer screening in Hawaii and Guam. Sub-hypothesis: The distribution of risk factors varies by region, race, and ethnicity in women with and without breast cancer.
