A study based in Hackney London found that black women studied were more likely to develop a particular type of breast cancer at younger ages (not all black breast cancer patients).

Much attention was given to the age of diagnosis (21 years younger than white women studied). However, this is not surprising, as a type of breast cancer more frequently found in the black women studied (basal cell, a type of triple negative breast cancer), is characteristically, more likely to affect younger or pre menopausal women (Under the age of 50 years).

Larger African American studies highlighted this observaton a significant number of years prior to the Hackney study, which was limited to reviewing patients notes, rather than actual patients, (retrospective study).

BME cancer.communities welcomes the studies findings, but calls for more robust studies to support the findings, in the drive to improve cancer services for black and other UK ethnic minority communities.

Whilst the study findings are welcomed, we are aware of the increased community fears created by the news that this type of breast cancer is more likely to be aggressive, and does not respond to drugs like tamoxifen and herceptin.

As the majority of breast cancers are hormone sensitive, (tumour growth fuelled

With this in mind, and because we aim to influence positive change, we are currently supporting the UK Triple Negative Trial (TNT) team, in the drive to improve outcomes for women with secondary triple negative breast cancer. We are working with Dr Andrew Tutt and his team to provide information about the trial. We are keen to see black, and other ethnic minority women affected by secondary triple negative breast cancer represented in the trial.

The following is a list of TNT trial centres. We will add to the list as more centres sign up.

Patients with secondary triple negative breast cancer, should discuss their treatment options with a suitably qualified health professional, who can also assess their eligibility for the trial.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer are funding the research and have some information about triple negative breast cancer on their website. Cancer Research UK have developed a treatment factsheet on triple negative breast cancer for primary triple negative breast cancer, and Cancerbackup(Now merged with Macmillan Cancer Support), are developing user friendly information.

You can visit other useful websites via our links.