Jewels in Our Genes: Breast Cancer Research is All in the Family

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1 Community Connections February 2015 Volume No 5, Issue 2 Jewels in Our Genes: Breast Cancer Research is All in the Family The incidence of breast cancer increases with age and is highest among white women. However, African- American women are more likely to die from breast cancer than any other group. Some of the reasons for this include later stage diagnoses, more aggressive tumors and earlier onset of disease, making treatment and survivorship more difficult. While not the primary risk factor for getting breast cancer, family history does play a role in some cases. Veronica Meadows-Ray (pictured above), a Buffalo, N.Y. resident, is a breast cancer survivor and a member of the Witness Project, a nationwide breast cancer information program housed at Roswell Park Cancer Institute that specifically targets at-risk African- American women primarily through faith-based institutions. My personal interest in the realm of cancer education and advocacy started with my first experience with cancer more than 35 years ago when my mother was diagnosed with first colon cancer, and then breast cancer at the age of 68, said Veronica. I was also diagnosed with breast cancer in Other members in my family, including another aunt and several cousins, have developed breast cancer, which obviously continues to bring great concern. Veronica approached Deborah Erwin, PhD, co-founder of the Witness Project and Director of the Office of Cancer Health Disparities Research (OCHDR) at Roswell Park, inquiring why a family like hers has such a high prevalence of breast cancer even though they don t carry the known BRCA gene mutations. This inquiry led to a discussion between Dr. Erwin and Heather Ochs-Balcom, PhD, a genetic epidemiologist in the University at Buffalo s School of Public Health and Health Professions. In 2008, this led to the first national study of genes that increase breast cancer susceptibility in African-American families. The three-year study, called Jewels in Our Genes, was funded with a grant from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which allowed for recruitment of 150 African-American families both locally and nationally that have multiple cases of breast cancer. This grant is an exceptional example of the benefits of connecting the disease concerns of patients and the community with appropriate scientific expertise to initiate novel research, said Dr. Erwin. Through this research, we hope to find new genes that may help to identify biologic pathways to study in breast cancer. My role in my family as the breast cancer advocate led me to meet with and allowed me to ask questions of cancer researchers about how genes might impact African-Americans most at-risk for getting cancer, said Veronica. My greatest accomplishment has been helping to launch this study that in the end may serve to improve future diagnosis, treatments and genetic testing for breast cancer. To learn more about Veronica s story and the Jewels in Our Genes study, go to Inside this issue: THE FLAXSEED STUDY 2 OCHDR WELCOMES NEWEST FACULTY MEMBER Page# UPCOMING EVENTS 5 4

2 Community Connections Roswell Park Seeking Healthy for Breast Cancer Study Involving KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. ONCE YOU GET TO KNOW YOUR BODY, YOU CAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND ITS DEFICIENCIES AND WHAT AREAS COULD BE IMPROVED TO PREVENT OTHER ILLNESSES. MOTHER NANCY SPENCER Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) invites healthy women to participate in an effort to determine whether adding flaxseed to their diet can affect factors related to reducing their risk of developing breast cancer. Women between the ages of 45 and 75 who have never had cancer and are not on a special diet can participate in the study, which is led by Dr. Susan McCann, a Member of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at Roswell Park. Dr. McCann notes that it is important to study these issues in a diverse group of women. Because flaxseed is high in certain compounds that can change hormones, we re interested in whether adding it into the diet can modify hormones that are related to breast cancer risk, and whether those changes are any different for African- American women and Caucasian women, said Dr. McCann, a cancer epidemiologist who frequently studies dietary patterns and their connection to cancer risk. African-American women tend to get breast cancer at earlier ages and have more aggressive tumors compared to Caucasian women, yet African-Americans currently only make up five percent of all clinical trial participants, notes Dr. McCann. We re hoping to encourage African- American women to join in this research so we can make sure any benefits we uncover through our research apply for everyone. Study participants will be asked to eat about 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed each day for six weeks and complete interviews about their health, medical history and lifestyle habits. Page 2

3 Volume 5, Issue 2 Women, between years old, Eating Flaxseed They ll be asked to visit RPCI five times over the course of several months and provide blood, urine and stool samples. We ll be looking at hormone and bacteria levels, which can offer clues about cancer, and will also be looking for the presence of certain key genes, says Dr. McCann. Results from this study may help guide the development of new approaches for preventing breast cancer. I really think knowledge is power, says Nancy Spencer, a participant in Dr. McCann s study. Once you get to know your body, you can begin to understand its deficiencies and what areas could be improved to prevent other illnesses. That s what made me interested in being a part of this very interesting study, notes Mother Spencer, who is Church Mother of Saint s Home Church of God in Christ in Buffalo and also is a lay health advisor and program coordinator for the Buffalo/ Niagara Witness Project, a cancer education and outreach program based at Roswell Park. Those taking part in this research will receive a $25 gift card each time they come to RPCI to provide samples for the study. They ll get free parking during those visits, and also will receive a nutrient analysis summary and body-fat report upon their completion of the study. To learn more about this clinical research study, please call ASK-RPCI. Mother Spencer discusses the Flaxseed Study with Roswell Park clinical research associate Orinthia Baker Page 3

4 Community Connections The Office of Cancer Health Disparities Welcomes Its Newest Faculty Member Dr. Rodney C. Haring Page 4 In the Fall of 2014, the Office of Cancer Health Disparities Research welcomed Rodney C. Haring, PhD, MSW, onto its team as its newest faculty member. Dr. Haring is research faculty member at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in the Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Division. Dr. Haring is also adjunct faculty at the Native American Research and Training Center, University of Arizona. He is a National Congress of American Indians scholar, past fellow of the Spirit of EAGLES Program at the Mayo Clinic, and a former Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Connections Grantee. Dr. Haring (Beaver Clan) is an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians and resides on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation with his family. He holds a doctoral degree in social work and is the current co-chair of the Native Research Network. He has also been nominated as an executive delegate by the Seneca Nation of Indians to serve on the US Department of Health and Human Services, American Indian and Alaska Native Health Research Advisory Council. In 2010, Dr. Haring was also an expert panel member to the United States Department of Education, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office to the President of the United States. Recently, Dr. Haring was awarded a Roswell Park Alliance Foundation grant for a project he has developed titled Developing an Obesity Cancer Module for Use in the Workplace with a High-Risk Population, Native Americans. The goal of his project will include developing and pilot testing an employee assistance program (EAP) intervention module for the reduction of obesity-related cancer risks in a Native American workforce. Learn more about Dr. Haring s background and cancer health disparities research on RPCI s blog link: cancertalk/201501/facultyfocus-meet-dr-rodneyharing

5 Volume 5, Issue 2 Upcoming Save-the-Date Events Over Coming Health Disparities Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center s 8th Annual Black History Month Celebration Friday, February 13, 2015 in the Medical Center s Main Auditorium 621 Tenth St., Niagara Falls, NY Presentation to begin at 10:30 am; Keynote Speaker, Dr. Willie Underwood III, to begin at 11:30 am; Lunch provided Programs are open and free to the public; for more information, call (716) The 5th Annual A Community Gathering presented by the African American Roswell Employee Network (AREN) To Celebrate the Life & Times of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Friday, February 13, 2015 in the David C. Hohn Auditorium, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm & Carlton Sts., Buffalo, NY 12 pm-1 pm, followed by reception, 1 pm-2 pm Program is open and free to the public To RSVP, contact Maria Rivera at (716) by Friday, February 6, 2015 NOWUKNOW New Video Premiere Night Thursday, March 19, 2015 in the David C. Hohn Auditorium, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm & Carlton Sts., Buffalo, NY 5 pm-6 pm, followed by reception, 6 pm-7 pm Program is free and open to the public To RSVP, contact Terry Alford at (716) or Terry.Alford@roswellpark.org by Friday, March 13, 2015 Native American Heritage Celebration Wednesday, March 25, :30 pm-7:30 pm Zebro Conference Room (685 Virginia St., Buffalo, NY) To RSVP, contact Maria Rivera at (716) or Maria.Rivera@roswellpark.org -Guest Speakers include Tom Porter, Michael Martin and Dr. Richard Hershberger Traditional Thanksgiving Address by Chris Tallchief ; Traditional Native Foods by Grandparents Club; - Native songs & dance through Senecas Strong Program Page 5

6 R O S W E L L P A R K C A N C E R I N S T I T U T E Roswell Park Cancer Institute The Carlton House, Room 308-A Elm & Carlton Streets Buffalo, New York Phone: Fax: Terry.Alford@roswellpark.org February is National Cancer Awareness Month