Breast Cancer Foundation NZ
Characterisation of breast cancer in premenopausal women
What is the problem and who is affected?
Younger women diagnosed with breast cancer generally have poorer outcomes than older women. Some reasons for this include the fact that fewer younger women take part in clinical studies of new treatments, and there is less data on how useful the genetic tests that help physicians to decide on the best courses of treatment are in younger women. Dr Brown is looking at data from the SOFT (Suppression of Ovarian Function Trial) clinical trial, the largest genetic dataset of pre-menopausal women with breast cancer to date.
What is this research hoping to achieve?
Dr Brown’s research aims to see if the standard genetic tests are equally effective in younger women as in older women, see if there are any differences in tumour gene expression in younger women, and consider what the best prognostic tests for younger women are. This research could change the way we think about young women’s breast cancer.