Global Cancer Institute (GCI) Launches Young Women's Breast Cancer Database in Brazil

BOSTON - March 27, 2017 - PRLog -- Global Cancer Institute (GCI), the only non-profit completely focused on improving survival rates for underserved cancer patients worldwide, announced today that it is expanding its well-regarded Young Women's Breast Cancer Database program for patients in Brazil.

Women with breast cancer in Brazil have a 5-year survival rate of 58% vs. 84% in North America, and Brazil has a large proportion of breast cancer patients who are under the age of 40. In addition, Brazilian women are diagnosed at later stages than Americans, which is part of the reason why their mortality rate is higher. This trend exists in many other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well.  Despite this high burden of breast cancer among younger women in LMICs, their specific needs — clinically, psychologically, emotionally, and logistically — are currently not studied or addressed in a systematic way.

GCI already runs a successful Young Women's Breast Cancer Database program in Mexico, located in Mexico City and Monterrey, where their clinical colleagues are working hard collecting data from the many young women with breast cancer they see every week. In addition to clinical data, GCI collects information about quality of life, family history of breast cancer, sexual function, and psychosocial characteristics of these women to get a full picture of their disease and its context.

The cancer database in Brazil is comprised of several different questionnaires that young women can fill out on tablets while they're in the waiting room before an appointment. The questionnaires will be initiated at the hospital, which connects these women to the resources they need to understand fertility-preserving options, learn about genetic testing, and access community services and support groups. All of these questions and more will help to clarify this complex disease and will allow oncologists in the country to better serve and support their patients.

"Breast cancer is reaching epidemic proportions in Brazil and our Young Women's Breast Cancer Database program is designed to gather critical information on these women so that we can help advance cancer prevention and awareness and overall improve a woman's quality of life with breast cancer," said Dr. Paul Goss, Director of Breast Center Research at Massachusetts General Hospital and Founder and Chairman of GCI. "The program is currently underway in Mexico and we plan to expand the database in Panama and Peru in 2017. Our findings will inform culturally tailored interventions to address the unique needs of these women and help improve breast cancer care in Latin America and other regions."

For more information on GCI's Young Women's Breast Cancer Database program, please visit http://globalcancerinstitute.org/research/young-women-bre...

About Global Cancer Institute
Global Cancer Institute (GCI) is the only non-profit completely focused on improving survival rates for underserved cancer patients worldwide. Today, cancer death rates in developing countries are double that of the U.S. – GCI is working to close that gap. GCI works directly with physicians in developing countries to propagate simple interventions and treatments that are common in the U.S. and proven to accelerate diagnosis, access and treatment. Learn more about our programs or donate at www. http://globalcancerinstitute.org/.