Breast Cancer Working Group

Breast cancer results from the combined effects of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures. These factors can either enhance or mitigate an individual's risk of developing breast cancer. However, prediction of risk for individual patients remains inaccurate and represents a major dilemma for clinicians and patients. While aggressive therapy is required for some individuals, it will cause substantial and unnecessary morbidity for a significant fraction of women.

Atypical hyperplasia represents an emerging diagnostic challenge as ~10% of these breast lesions will progress to invasive carcinoma while the vast majority need minimal treatment. Predicting clinical behavior and selecting therapeutic interventions are essential to both ensure successful treatment for the patient and spare health care costs by preventing unnecessary therapies.

A greater understanding of the interaction of genetic susceptibility with environmental risk factors (diet, endocrine factors, environmental estrogens) will provide improvements in risk assessment and prognosis for individuals.

To achieve these goals the Breast Cancer Working Group has faculty engaged in basic research defining fundamental pathways in breast cancer which include mapping novel breast cancer susceptibility loci as well as defining molecular events leading to hyperplasia and predict metastasis. As environmental factors account for ~2/3 of the overall risk of breast cancer, this represents a major area in which risk can be mitigated. In contrast to the risks associated with prolonged exposures, hormonal profiles associated with pregnancy can reduce risk of breast cancer by up to 50%. Therefore, identifying these pathways will provide substantial progress toward targeted therapies to prevent breast cancer. Faculty are also involved in creating new animal models for studying the pathways mediating susceptibility and are being used to evaluate efficacy of experimental drugs. The Breast Cancer Working Group also provides a formal structure for basic scientists and clinicians to collaborate on studies to evaluate the utility of specific biomarkers. This is augmented by the participation of patients who play an essential role in supporting the translation of basic research to clinical practice.

UMass Amherst, Baystate Medical Center and PVLSI scientists, engineers and clinicians whose work is related to breast cancer are welcome to come to Breast Cancer Working Group meetings and to get more involved. For information contact D. Joseph Jerry, Ph.D. at 413.545.5335 or by email. If your company is interested in the group's work, contact Paul Friedmann, M.D. at 413.794.0653 or by email.

Members of the Breast Cancer Working Group

Richard Arenas, M.D. Chief of Surgical Oncology, Baystate Health; Adjunct Professor, Biology, UMass Amherst.
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Carol Bigelow, Ph.D., Research Assoc. Professor, Biostatistics and Graduate Program Director for the Worcester M.P.H. Program, UMass Amherst.

Q. Jackie Cao, M.D., Ph.D., Pathology, Baystate Health.

Giovanna Crisi, M.D. Ph.D., Director, Electron Microscopy and Renal Pathology Service, Co-Director Breast Pathology Service, Baystate Health.

D. Joseph Jerry, Ph.D. Assoc. Professor, Veterinary and Animal Sciences, UMass Amherst; Director, Breast Cancer Working Group, PVLSI.
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Melissa Johnson, M.D., Plastic Surgery, Baystate Health.

Grace Makari-Judson, M.D., Director, Comprehensive Breast Center, Baystate Health.

David E. March, M.D. Director, Breast Imaging Services, Baystate Health.

Holly Mason, M.D., General Surgery, Baystate Health.

Christopher N. Otis, M.D., Director, Surgical Pathology and Immunohistochemistry, Baystate Health.

Sallie Smith Schneider, Ph.D. Scientist, PVLSI; Adjunct Research Asst. Professor, Veterinary and Animal Sciences, UMass Amherst.
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Kristin Stueber, M.D., Director, Plastic Surgical Service, Baystate Health.

Melissa Troester, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, Epidemiology, UMass Amherst.
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