Helping women weigh breast cancer and heart disease risks to decide on preventive medicines
Official title: Integrating Breast Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Risk to Explore Decision-Making for Chemoprevention Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11134739 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will help women at high risk for breast cancer understand both their breast cancer and heart disease risks so they can make clearer choices about preventive medicines like SERMs, aromatase inhibitors, and statins.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 8, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $695,888 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA293927-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11134739 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women with high-risk breast lesions such as atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ who are considering or open to discussion about preventive medications and who may also have concerns about heart disease prevention.
✕Less likely to help
This project may not directly benefit people who do not have high-risk breast lesions, are not eligible for or uninterested in preventive medications, or are not involved in clinician shared decision-making.
What this research studies
You'll be part of work that looks at how women with high-risk breast lesions make decisions about preventive medicines by comparing the pathway for breast cancer drugs (SERMs and aromatase inhibitors) with the pathway for statins used to prevent heart disease. The team will talk with racially and ethnically diverse women and their clinicians, review risk information and medical records, and use interviews, surveys, and design workshops to map where decisions are made. They will use iterative, equity-focused human-centered design to create and test communication tools and decision aids. The aim is to find practical changes that make it easier for women to understand trade-offs and choose prevention options that match their values.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could increase appropriate use of effective breast cancer preventive medicines and improve shared decision-making that accounts for heart disease risk.
How similar studies have gone: Randomized trials have shown SERMs and aromatase inhibitors reduce breast cancer incidence and statins reduce major vascular events, but applying decision-making research across both breast cancer and cardiovascular prevention is a new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kukafka, Rita — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Kukafka, Rita
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Integrating breast cancer and heart disease risk to understand chemoprevention decisions for high-risk women
This project explores how women at high risk for breast cancer decide whether to take preventive medicines, while also considering their heart health.
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Exploring decision-making for breast cancer prevention in diverse women at high risk
This study is looking at why women from diverse backgrounds who are at high risk for breast cancer are less likely to use certain preventive medications for breast cancer, even though they often take other medications for heart health, and it aims to find ways to help them feel more comfortable discussing these options
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Personalized breast cancer care with COMPASS: a patient-friendly decision aid integrated with your medical records
A research project aims to help breast cancer patients make informed treatment choices through a computerized decision-support tool linked to their health records.
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Aging, DNA Methylation, and Cardio Risk in Breast Cancer Survivors
A study to help breast cancer survivors understand how aging and DNA changes might raise the chance of heart disease.
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Helping older women make informed choices about breast cancer screening
This study is designed to help women aged 75 and older make smart choices about breast cancer screening by looking at important data and creating a helpful tool that explains the benefits and risks of mammograms just for them.
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A technology to help breast cancer patients make personalized treatment decisions
This study is testing a new computer tool called COMPACT that helps breast cancer patients understand their treatment choices better, so they can make decisions that feel right for them and improve their overall experience.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.