Black patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) have higher mortality rates than White patients despite advances in treatment
Emily Podany, MD, Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program, Fellow Wellness Leader, WashU Division of Oncology, along with senior author Andrew Davis, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, WashU Division of Oncology, recent multi-institution cohort study was published in JAMA Network Open, “Racial Differences in ctDNA Profiles, Targeted Therapy Use, and Outcomes in Metastic Breast Cancer.”
The study findings suggest that clinical inequities exist alongside genomic differences; researchers must consider both when designing future research and interventions to address the outcomes gap between Black and White patients with mBC.
In the era of precision oncology, we must ensure patients equitably receive the recommended ctDNA-guided treatments.
Emily Podany, MD,
In this study they looked at differences in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) variants – the differences in tumor DNA – between Black and White women with metastatic breast cancer across multiple institutions. They found higher rates of GATA3 and CCND2 variants in Black patients, but no differences in PIK3CA, which can be targeted by a specific drug. They then looked to see if Black and White women with metastatic breast cancer received PI3K inhibitors – the treatment for PIK3CA mutated breast cancer in the second line and beyond – at the same rate.
The study found that Black women with metastatic breast cancer were less likely to receive these medications than White women (5.9% vs 28.8%) and had shorter survival. “This reflects the persistent and striking nationwide racial outcomes disparity in breast cancer. What do we do now that they have identified this disparity in targeted treatment use? We will evaluate the potential root causes and design interventions to address this gap,” says Podany.