News — New Brunswick, N.J., October 1, 2023 – Researchers are working to improve outcomes for Black women with breast cancer – including through increased participation in clinical trials, which helps find better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. , program director of Breast Cancer Disparities Research and medical oncologist in the at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, shares why breast cancer clinical trials need to include more black women.
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- For Black women, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancerand has surpassed lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in this population, according to the .
- Black women continue to experience disparities in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, leading to increased mortality of .
- Black women are significantly underrepresented in clinical trials. The reasons for this are multi-factorial, including social, economic, structural factors, and communication and access issues.
- Diversity matters in breast cancer research. Different populations can respond differently to therapies including differences in side effects, therefore, clinical trials for breast cancer that include those specific populations are important. Ensuring people from diverse backgrounds participate in clinical trials is key to advancing health equity.
- Diversity in clinical trials reduces bias, promotes social justice and health equity, and produces more innovative science, says the .
Connecting Black women with clinical trials
Rutgers Cancer Institute continually works to increase clinical trial awareness and enrollment of Black women with breast cancer. Efforts include tailored patient education; advocacy and outreach; patient navigation; and physician engagement and outreach. Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and RWJBarnabas Health, the state’s  a²Ô»å  is committed to diversity and inclusivity in cancer clinical trials. Learn more: .
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