Minority Participants Needed for Breast Cancer Study

I'm going to go off topic for a minute...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and minority women have some of the highest rates of breast cancer. In fact, the disease is the No. 1 cancer killer of African-American and Hispanic women, according to the American Cancer Society.

Historically, women of color tend not to be represented in large numbers in scientific studies. This can impact results on final research reports, which are used to make treatment decisions. One study pertaining to breast cancer, The Sister Study, being run by the National Institute of Environment Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Health and Human Services, is hoping to recruit minority women to make findings more indicative of a variety of ethnic groups.  This study will focus on envirionmental and genetic risk factors for breast cancer.

African-American, Latina, Asian, and Pacific Islander women are eligible to join the study if:

• They have a blood sister who has had breast cancer.
  
• They are between the ages of 35 and 74.
  
• They have never had breast cancer themselves.
  
• They are living in the United States or Puerto Rico.
  

The study is also looking for Caucasian women age 65-74 who meet the same criteria mentioned above.

Please pass this info. along to anyone you know who might be interested.