UNC Breast Cancer Program: Understanding Tumors and Care Gaps
SPORE in Breast Cancer
This program looks at tumor biology, genetics, and social factors to help improve diagnosis and care for people with breast cancer, especially younger women and those in rural areas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181651 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of a long-running UNC program that links tumor samples, genetic data, and detailed health and follow-up information to learn why some breast cancers behave differently. The team will recruit thousands of new patients (about 3,000 in the next phase) with oversampling of younger women and will collect biospecimens, clinical records, and survey data. Researchers use genomic tests, tumor subtyping, biomarker analyses, and immune-response studies and combine these with information about environment and access to care. The goal is to connect tumor biology to real-world care differences so new tests, treatments, and strategies to reduce disparities can be developed.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people newly diagnosed with breast cancer who can provide tumor tissue, medical records, and permission for long-term follow-up—especially younger women and those from rural or underserved communities.
Not a fit: People without breast cancer, or patients unwilling to provide biospecimens or share medical and follow-up information, are unlikely to gain direct benefits from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more personalized treatments, earlier recognition of aggressive subtypes like triple-negative breast cancer, and practical steps to reduce care gaps.
How similar studies have performed: Yes—decades of work from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study and other population-based studies have produced high-impact findings about subtypes and disparities, showing this approach can yield important results.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perou, Charles M — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Perou, Charles M
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 below.