- Question from Stej: Studies have presented some evidence about greater risk of triple-negative breast cancers among African-American women and Latinas compared to white women. Is the risk of triple-negative breast cancers due to differences in genes or is it environmental exposures?
- Answers - George Sledge, M.D. This is one of those $64,000 questions that we don't know the answer to. It is interesting that if one looks at women in Nigeria, a high percentage of women there have triple-negative breast cancers. So this may indeed be more than just environment; there may be an important genetic component although we have not identified what that is at present. Indeed, the only genetic factor we have identified so far for triple-negative breast cancers (and only in a small percentage) is the BRCA1 mutation.
On Wednesday, July 16, 2008 our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. George Sledge, M.D. and Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S. answered your questions about triple-negative breast cancer and its treatment.
The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of Breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.
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