Early-onset cancer (age 18-49) is on the rise, and cancers diagnosed in younger adult patients are often more aggressive, less responsive to treatment, and associated with a profoundly negative impact on quality of life. These issues are exacerbated when considering social, structural, economic, and educational disparities experienced by Black and Hispanic/Latinx patients.
Ensuring that patients with breast cancer have access to support services is a high priority as the Program continue to expand. A major focus of the developing Program is to bring awareness about early-onset breast cancer and considerations to the greater New Haven community.
"We have deep commitment to engage minority populations and raise awareness about family history and breast cancer in the greater New Haven community," said Veda Giri, MD, Director of the Early-Onset Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital. Dr. Giri is also Assistant Director of Clinical Cancer Genetics and Chief of the Division of Clinical Cancer Genetics.