Abstract B9: Community strategies for investigating the biology of breast and cervical cancer initiation in African-American women

Abstract

Abstract Background: African-American women have the highest overall cancer death rate from breast and cervical cancer and shortest survival of any racial and ethnic group in the United States. These disparities are heightened in the Southern United States. For example, the US breast cancer death rate is 23.0 (per 100,000) for Caucasian women, as compared to 34.3 for African-American women. The North Carolina breast cancer death rate is 27.2 for Caucasian women and 38.0 for African Americans; and in our study area, Durham County, the breast cancer death rate is 27.5 for Caucasians and 42.0 for African-Americans. The causes of these inequalities are complex and interrelated, but arise, at least in part, from disparities in income, education, nutrition, and access to healthcare. For complex historical reasons, African-Americans have had mixed experiences in accessing care and in the quality of care they receive. In addition, distrust has arisen within the African-American community regarding the intents and purposes of health care researchers. Cutting edge breast imaging technology, prevention, and early detection trials exist at academic that could potentially improve early diagnosis and increase our chance of understanding the complex relationship between disparities, genetics, diet, and the environment in promoting breast cancer. Lack of access, mistrust, and community barriers all play a key role in preventing young African-American women from benefiting from state-of-the-art breast imaging and new strategies for early detection of breast and cervical cancer. Methods and Results: To address the unacceptably high death rate among young African-American women from breast and cervical cancer, we have used a multi-disciplinary intervention that includes: 1) community Navigators, 2) access to breast and cervical cancer prevention and early detection services through free community clinics, 3) community partnered breast and cervical cancer prevention trials, and 4) opportunities for mentorship and career development. As a result, we have been able to improve access to early detection strategies in a community based setting and have provided mentorship for 27 young Minority scholars to enter medical school and graduate programs. Our community based breast MRI trial for underserved women has performed over 600 breast MRI since 2004. Over 50% of these women entered in this trial are Women-of-Color. Conclusion: A community based strategy can be highly successful for improving early detection of breast and cervical cancer but only if there is community participation during the initiation of clinical trials and joint community-academic mentorship of young Minority Scholars. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):B9.