Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide, with disproportionate impacts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to limited access to timely and accurate diagnostic tools. In Guatemala, many patients lack immunohistochemical characterization of their tumors, which is critical for selecting effective treatments. This diagnostic gap contributes to delayed or inappropriate care, resulting in poorer patient outcomes, including higher rates of mortality.

This project aims to develop a low-cost, accurate molecular diagnostic assay to classify breast cancer subtypes in Guatemala. It repurposes a previously validated chemical ligation probe-based assay, originally designed for lymphoma, to identify breast cancer subtypes at a cost of about $10 per sample. In partnership with Guatemala’s National Cancer Institute, the project will establish a pathology-verified tissue bank and optimize the assay for the subtypes most common in the local population.This work seeks to advance diagnostic equity, improve treatment decisions, and serve as a scalable model for other resource-limited settings.

“We hope that our work will impact patients globally by improving access to genetic testing that guides precise therapies to improve breast cancer outcomes,” said Kelly Ernst, MD, an assistant professor in the Stanford University Department of Pathology and the project’s principal investigator.

Principal Investigator:

Kelly Ernst, MD, Assistant Professor, Stanford University Department of Pathology

Research Team:

Yang Hu, MD PhD, Chief Resident (PGY-3), Stanford University Department of Pathology
Alba Kihn, MD, Medical Oncologist, Instituto de Cancerologia y Hospital Cancer Center
Josselyn Sofia Vergara Cobos, BS, Medical Student, Stanford Medical School
Edward Briercheck, MD PhD, Fellow, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Funder:

Stanford Department of Pathology