Breast Cancer Tumor Characterization Studies
DCEG investigators are helping to lead large-scale molecular pathology studies within the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC), an international consortium of more than 80 epidemiological and clinical breast cancer studies. Analyses from BCAC’s large resource of genetic and environmental risk factors, tissue microarrays and clinical data, have revealed important tumor markers that delineate the etiologic heterogeneity of breast cancer.
BCAC collaborators are characterizing thousands of breast tumors using targeted DNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization analysis in an effort known as Breast CAncer STratification (BCAST). Investigators are studying how genetic and environmental risk factors are related to tumor features and clinical progression, providing critical information for the development and validation of integrated risk and prognostic models.
The ultimate goal of this research is to better understand breast cancer etiology and clinical progression, and inform the development of targeted prevention and screening strategies for different types of breast cancer.
For more information, contact Montserrat García-Closas or Thomas Ahearn.