The Gut Microbiome and Disparities in Treatment Outcomes Among Breast Cancer Patients

Study Overview

Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is considered the most common type of cancer diagnosed in American women. Breast cancer mortality is highest among Black/African American (B/AA) women when compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Factors that may explain this disparity include social determinants of health, clinical characteristics (e.g., molecular features), and potentially modifiable diet and lifestyle factors.

Our team is currently collecting fecal samples among B/AA breast cancer patients to investigate how the gut microbiome may be related to treatment outcomes among these patients. There are two key populations this study we are recruiting:

1. B/AA breast cancer patients, with no history of prior cancers, receiving treatment for their cancer.
2. Patients, regardless of race/ethnicity but with no history of prior cancers, that have hormone-receptor negative breast cancer (including triple negative breast cancer, a generally more aggressive subtype) receiving treatment for their cancer.

Our aim is to examine the associations of the gut microbiome with 1) therapy response and 2) immune markers among B/AA women with breast cancer and among more aggressive subtypes of breast cancer that are more common among B/AA women. To achieve this, blood and stool samples are currently being collected prospectively.

 

If you are interested in this study and would like more details, please contact Jessica Burns.

Email: jessica.burns@moffitt.org

Phone Number: (813)-745-0419

  

 

 

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