Understanding breast, fallopian tube, and prostate epithelia across the USA, Africa, and the Caribbean

Painting titled “Market Day” by Barefoot Contessa Art

Prospective FTE: Understanding breast, fallopian tube, and prostate epithelia across the USA, Africa, and the Caribbean 

Co-Investigators

  • Matthew Schlumbrecht, M.D. 
Women who have an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have a substantially increased lifetime risk of developing breast and epithelial ovarian cancer, and epidemiological factors related to parity, ovulation, and hormone regulation have a dramatic effect on the risk in both BRCA mutation carriers and non-carriers. Currently, there is little data demonstrating the cellular architecture and diversity of fallopian tube epithelia and breast epithelial cells. A precise inventory of the cell types existing in normal fallopian tube epithelia and cancerous fallopian tube epithelia permits us to identify how gene expression profiles change between BRCA mutant and BRCA non-mutant epithelia. This research project seeks voluntary participants diagnosed with ovarian cancer or who are at high risk for developing ovarian cancer (ex. mutation carriers). Participation Criteria: 
  1. Women and men 18 years or older 
  2. Women undergoing total-abdominal hysterectomy and/or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH-BSO) or Salpingectomy 
  3. Male patients diagnosed with prostate cancer as of March 2022
  4. Reads/understands English, Spanish, Creole 
  5. Surgery at one of the following institutions: Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami/U Health Tower 
  6. No prior treatment for primary epithelial ovarian, Fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal carcinomas such as irradiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, investigational therapy, and/or concurrent agents or therapies.
  7. Negative urine or serum pregnancy < 3 days before undergoing surgery.
  8. Women undergoing prophylactic mastectomy
  9. Women undergoing lumpectomy
  10. Women undergoing mastectomy to remove cancerous tissue 
  11. Ability to read and understand the consent form