The color pink has become a symbol of all things breast cancer and both men and women, survivors and supporters, wear it proudly.
Though awareness about breast cancer has been raised and advancements have been made, it’s the work at the grassroots level many believe will help bring an end to breast cancer. In Central Indiana, much of that work is being done at the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Cancer Center.
The bank is the only repository in the world for normal breast tissue and matched serum, plasma, and DNA. Its goal is to study normal tissue, make it available to researchers worldwide in order to find the cause of breast cancer and ultimately find a cure for breast cancer.
“There’s all kinds of research on cancer – we’ve developed amazing treatments for cancer. However the focus has changed to ‘what’s making this tissue cancerous,’” said Kathi Ridley-Merriweather, a program assistant at the tissue bank at the IU Simon Cancer Center.
She adds that the IU Simon Cancer Center is proud of their work thus far, but lack strong participation from African-American women.
“We have researchers looking for African-American tissue. There was one study in particular that we couldn’t supply. Or they have to wait two or three years while we slowly gather (Black women’s tissue),” said Ridley-Merriweather. “If someone wanted tissue from Caucasian women, we have a multitude of choices. But if they want Black women, they are restricted.”
This is an issue due to how Black women battle breast cancer. According to the Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, women of different races and cultures get breast cancer differently. White women get breast cancer the most. While Black women get it less frequently, they die at more considerable rates than any race. This is believed to be due to factors such as Blacks having more aggressive forms of cancer; socioeconomic issues such as lack of insurance leading to infrequent trips to the doctor; and fear that leads to later detection.
Furthermore, the American Cancer Society said an analysis of a large nationwide dataset found that regardless of their socioeconomic status, Black women were nearly twice as likely as white women to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.
Triple-negative breast cancers are usually more aggressive, harder to treat, and more likely to come back than other forms of breast cancer. Triple negative cancer also doesn’t usually respond to certain types of therapy medicines.
“This is why research is so important but it’s in our hands. If we want the research to benefit us, we must step up and donate the tissue,” said Ridley-Merriweather.
As an African-American woman, Ridley-Merriweather said she understands that Blacks have a negative history with research, such as the Tuskegee syphilis experiments, but reassures women that research has come a long way and there are rules, regulations and federal legislation to protect donors.
She also reassures donors that the process to give breast tissue is seamless. A trained staffer explains the process and afterwards, donors have opportunities to make a firm decision to either donate, wait or not give. After consenting, donors confidentially fill out a thorough medical history. If a researcher needs blood along with the tissue, blood is drawn followed by a surgeon extracting the breast tissue via a vacuum-assisted needle system, similar to a biopsy. The process takes an hour to an hour and a half.
The tissue bank follows up with donors once a year to see if medical histories have changed.
“We’re asked all the time about pain. That’s a question we just can’t fully answer because everyone is different. The actual procedure rarely hurts because you are nummed. After that wears off, that depends on your body,” said Ridley-Merriweather.
Breast cancer is a disease that is widely championed yet many who advocate for further research through healthy breast tissue collection are working to get the word out more. They hope breast cancer survivors get their friends involved and encourage those who have donated healthy breast tissue to challenge their friends to give.
The next mass tissue collection is Nov. 8. and Ridley-Merriweather has a goal of collecting tissue from at least 50 African-American women. Those interested can contact the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Cancer Center for further details and preparation.
“If Black women realize that this act, single-handedly, might mean their daughters or granddaughters do not get breast cancer, who wouldn’t do that,” asked Ridley-Merriweather.
For more information on how to give breast tissue, visit komentissuebank.iu.edu.
