Abstract B24: Regulation of DARC isoforms among ancestry groups and associations with aggressive breast cancer subtypes

Biological mechanisms that drive disparate incidences of aggressive breast cancer in women of African descent are still largely unknown. Despite the fact that White women are more often diagnosed with breast cancer, African-American women have more severe cases and more often die from their breast cancer. Certain clues surrounding the tumor behavior and aggressive nature of cancers in African Americans point to physiological contexts, perhaps even the immunological microenvironment of the cancer sites. We hypothesize that higher mortality rates, coupled with lower incidence of breast cancer in this population, compared to white women, suggests the susceptibility is not necessarily a predisposition to acquire cancer, but that once a malignant cell is formed, the physiological make-up of these individuals somehow drives the aggressive nature of the tumors. This would explain the poor prognosis and higher mortality rates. We further hypothesize that chronic pro-inflammatory status, and altered chemokine profiles in this population are a key to tumor progression disparities. These disparities are likely due to specific genetic differences.Specifically, we are investigating the role of the Atypical Chemokine Receptor (ACKR1/DARC) gene and its isoforms in influencing a woman's chance of developing aggressive breast cancer subtypes. We aim to demonstrate that altered expression of DARC isoforms play a role in breast cancer severity and tumor aggression by regulating the infiltration...
Source: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Cancer Genetics/Gene Expression: Poster Presentations - Proffered Abstracts Source Type: research