In a significant step towards understanding breast cancer risk factors in African American women, researchers have published the largest genetic study to date focused on this underrepresented population. The study, published in Nature Genetics, analyzed genetic data from approximately 40,000 women of African descent, including 18,000 breast cancer patients and 22,000 healthy controls.
Led by Wei Zheng, a cancer epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University, the study compiled data from about 30 different studies investigating breast cancer in African or African American women. The increased statistical power enabled researchers to identify specific genetic variations closely related to breast cancer risk in this population.
The findings are particularly important as hundreds of previously identified genetic variants associated with breast cancer risk were primarily discovered in studies involving people of European ancestry. This has resulted in a less accurate picture of breast cancer risk for non-white populations.
Julie Palmer, a cancer researcher at Boston University and study author, emphasized the significance of the results, stating that the study finally provides enough data to focus on estrogen-negative and triple-negative breast cancers, which are twice as common in African American women compared to other populations.
The study’s authors suggest that these findings could help identify high-risk women who would benefit from more frequent screening. They also stress the importance of including diverse populations in genetic studies to ensure that advances in cancer prevention and treatment are accessible to all demographic groups.
See “Black Americans’ risk for breast cancer gains clarity in analysis of 40,000 genomes” (May 21, 2024)
