This Breast Cancer Study Wants to Help Black Women As Young As 30 – BlackDoctor.org

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Pink Table Talk hosted by TOUCH: the Black Breast Cancer Alliance, experts discussed the importance of breast cancer risk assessment and prevention, particularly for young women and women of color. The conversation featured Hayley Brown from TOUCH, Dr. Candice Thompson, a breast surgical oncologist at Stanford Medicine, and representatives from the Wisdom Study, Steffanie Goodman and Allison Fiscalini.

What is the WISDOM Study?

The WISDOM Study, a nationwide breast cancer screening trial, aims to personalize breast cancer screening approaches. As Allison Fiscalini, director of the Athena Breast Health Network and the WISDOM Study explained, “The whole goal of it is to really be able to test a different approach to breast cancer screening. Instead of telling everyone, everyone should get a mammogram starting at 40 every single year… we should be able to do a much more precise job of estimating people’s risk.”

The study has recently expanded to include women as young as 30, recognizing the importance of early risk assessment. Hayley Brown, the host of the roundtable, emphasized the significance of this change, stating, “You guys going [recruiting down to age] 30 in the last year is, like, amazing for me personally.”

What does the WISDOM Study entail?

One of the key components of the WISDOM Study is genetic testing. Dr. Candice Thompson highlighted its importance: “If we know that you’re at elevated risk for breast cancer, then that opens up a lot of other doors for you so that you can get earlier screening, you can get more aggressive screening.”

The study also considers various risk factors beyond genetics, including family history, breast density, and environmental factors. Steffanie Goodman, the marketing and partnerships lead for the WISDOM study, noted, “We’re integrating environmental exposures [and risk] factors into the study now, and we’re working with Zero Breast Cancer also on that project.”

Participants in the WISDOM Study receive personalized risk assessments and recommendations. Fiscalini explained, “We provide you with a screening assignment as well as your genetic testing report and access to a Breast Health Decisions tool, which helps walk through what are your risk factors, what puts you at higher risk or lower risk, and what are some of the ways that you could try and reduce your risk.”

The speakers emphasized the importance of knowledge and early action. Dr. Thompson advised, “Definitely get out there and sign up for what you can sign up for and what you’re comfortable with and get a risk assessment starting at age 25.”

Addressing concerns about privacy and data use, Fiscalini assured, “We collect the data, and we specifically chose the lab that we chose because they are specifically giving the data just back to us… Unlike other genetic testing companies where you can find family members and things like that, this you don’t do that.”

The discussion also touched on the underrepresentation of women of color in genetic research. Goodman highlighted ongoing efforts to address this gap: “Dr. Funmi Olopade, out of the University of Chicago School of Medicine… is really making great progress in identifying genes and variants that may be associated with risk in women of African descent.”

Brown emphasized the importance of participating in such studies: “We gotta be a part of the science because we’re unpacking so much by being a part of it. And again, there was a wisdom study, all I had to do was spit in the cup, you know? Like, it’s easy peasy, love and squeeze to, like, share that information.”

The speakers concluded by encouraging women to take proactive steps in understanding their breast cancer risk. Fiscalini summed it up: “Empower yourself with the information that hopefully will give you the tools to take action in your health… doing a risk assessment at a younger age can help to make sure that you have options.”

This Pink Table Talk underscored the importance of early risk assessment, personalized screening approaches, and active participation in research to improve breast cancer prevention and treatment, especially for young women and women of color.

To sign up for the WISDOM Study, click here.