Titles and Affiliations
Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology
Emory University School of Medicine
Co-Leader, Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation
Research area
Identifying genetic determinants of treatment-related comorbidities in Black patients with early-stage breast cancer.
Impact
In the US, Black women are 40 percent more likely to die from their breast cancer than white women. In metropolitan Atlanta, non-Hispanic Black (NHB) women are twice as likely to die after a breast cancer diagnosis than non-Hispanic white (NHW) women. NHB women are also more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and/or depression following cancer treatment than NHW women and these treatment-emergent comorbidities contribute to poor survival. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) are a composite of inherited genetic variants that, when grouped together, may indicate a level of risk for developing a disease. For her Conquer Cancer Research Professorship supported by BCRF Dr. Torres is leading a team of early career researchers to identify PRS scores of unique genetic variations associated with race that increase the risk of treatment-emergent comorbidities, and to determine whether this relationship is a significant driver of disparities in outcomes of early-stage breast cancer.
Progress Thus Far
Dr. Torres and her team have enrolled 134 patients with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer from similar socioeconomic backgrounds, including 90 NHW and 44 NHB patients. Participants are being tracked for the development of new health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, for up to three years after radiation treatment. The team is also collecting detailed data on the participants’ socioeconomic status and care experiences. Blood samples are being collected at multiple points: before radiation, shortly afterward, and at one and three years later. They will study genetic factors and biomarkers linked to the risk of developing these conditions, including early signs of cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, and cancer recurrence.
What’s next
Dr. Torres and her team will continue following participants through their three-year assessments, building a substantial data repository that will lay the groundwork for future scientific discoveries. Identifying genetic predictors of treatment-related comorbidities will enable physicians to personalize care, support proactive preventative interventions, and select treatments that are more effective, less toxic, and improve overall survival.
Biography
Mylin Torres, MD is Professor of Radiation Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine where she leads the breast radiation oncology program and serves as Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention Control Research Program of Winship Cancer Institute. Dr. Torres graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and received her medical degree from Stanford University. She completed her training in radiation oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr. Torres and her team have developed an integrated program of multi-disciplinary research dedicated to understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying cancer therapy-related toxicities. She also conducts research on racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes and improving the quality of cancer care delivery. Dr. Torres’ program has been supported by the National Cancer Institute, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, Susan G. Komen, V Foundation, and Winship. Awards from the Pfizer ASPIRE, Pfizer Global Breast Cancer Research, and Genentech IIS programs fund Dr. Torres’ investigator-initiated multi-institutional clinical trials of radiation in combination with novel systemic agents in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
She has published over 70 manuscripts and book chapters. She is a graduate of the ASCO Leadership Development Program and has served on several ASCO and NRG Oncology Committees. Currently, Dr. Torres is Co-Chair of the Research Implementation Special Interest Group within the NRG Health Disparities Committee. Based on her successful mentorship of over 40 junior faculty, trainees, post-docs, and students, Dr. Torres received the 2018 Winship Annual Mentorship Award and serves as a primary mentor within NRG Oncology Health Equity New Investigator Program for Underrepresented Minorities and on the Executive Committee of Emory’s NIH-supported Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health Program.
