A study published by the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine uncovered a significant disparity in how Uterine Serous Carcinoma (USC) tumors express more aggressive and immunosuppressive features than tumors in Black patients than in white patients.
Uterine Serous Carcinoma (USC) is a rare and aggressive type of endometrial cancer, comprising up to 10 percent of all primary endometrial cancer cases, according to the Foundation for Women’s Cancer. The five-year survival rate for patients with advanced cancer is around 30%.
What the study found
During their research, they discovered that tumors from Black patients demonstrated increased expression of genes associated with tumor aggressiveness, notably PAX8, which is commonly increased in other endometrial cancers and in ovarian cancer compared to white patients.
They also discovered that patients with tumors with increased PAX8 expression had an overall worse survival compared to patients with low PAX8 expression, according to the authors.
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Additionally, they learned that PAX8 directly influences the specialized white blood cells that kill cancer cells and stimulate other immune cells within the USC tumor microenvironment to suppress anti-tumor immune responses, and that this was more prevalent in tumors from Black patients.
Their next steps for the research include reproducing their findings in a larger patient group and identifying current drugs that may help tumors with increased PAX8 expression better respond to the immune system.
Why participating in clinical trials is so important in researching cancers in Black women
This discovery not only sheds light on the unique challenges faced by Black women with this cancer but also underscores the critical need for increased participation in clinical trials to bridge these gaps in our medical knowledge.
This study highlights a pressing issue, the need for Black women’s representation in clinical trials. Historically, clinical research has often underrepresented minority groups, which can lead to gaps in understanding how different populations respond to treatments.
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By participating in clinical trials, Black women with cancer can contribute to research that addresses these disparities directly. Their involvement is not just about contributing data but it’s about ensuring that new treatments are effective for everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity.
Black women can help drive forward research that could lead to more personalized and effective therapies, ultimately contributing to a future where cancer care is equitable for all.
What makes this cancer particularly troubling is its disproportionate impact on Black women, who experience different and more aggressive tumor characteristics compared to their white counterparts.
Grace Foley, the lead author of the study, expressed hope that this research could improve survival rates for Black women with USC. “This is the first time PAX8 has been investigated for its involvement with immune signaling,” Foley said. The team’s findings could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies aimed at this specific molecular pathway.
