Breast Cancer Research
Special Series:
Breast Cancer Research
Facing a Formidable Foe
An estimated 255,180 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 63,400 cases of noninvasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women this year. And while incidence rates overall have dropped since 2000, the disease still kills more than 40,500 women annually. Despite many advances in diagnosis and treatment, much remains unknown. In this five-part series, we look at how BU researchers are increasing our understanding of breast cancer and improving outcomes.
In this series
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Chapter 1 Zebrafish Cancer Genetics Illuminate Human Breast Cancers
Hui Feng conducts breast cancer research in what seems like a curious way: by studying the cancer genetics of zebrafish. The focus: the gene MYC, altered in nearly all human cancers.
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Chapter 2 Dioxins Point to Targets for Treating Breast Cancer
Chemical carcinogens like dioxin have been linked to many cancers, including breast cancer. But according to David Sherr, understanding these toxic chemicals may, surprisingly, point to new ways to treat the toughest breast cancers, including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).
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Chapter 3 Too Many Black Women Die from Breast Cancer. Why?
Breast cancer is not color-blind. Although it strikes women (and less commonly, men) of every age and race, black women are more likely than white women to die of breast cancer. Why? Researchers have been aware of the disparity for decades, but it has resisted easy explanation. And today, the stakes are higher than ever. […]
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Chapter 4 Wearable Windows into Breast Tumors
A new biomedical imaging device developed by ENG’s Darren Roblyer offers doctors a window into breast cancer tumors and could one day tell them immediately when a drug isn’t working, allowing them to change a treatment plan and avoid ineffective treatment and wasted time.
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Chapter 5 Patient Navigators Improve Delivery of Care for Breast Cancer Patients
Poor and underserved women with breast cancer face numerous barriers to receiving timely and appropriate care. Rigorous clinical studies conducted by BMC researchers have shown that pairing them with a patient navigator—a staff person who helps them overcome those barriers—significantly improves quality of care.