141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

289925
Assessment of breast cancer risk in Morocco

Monday, November 4, 2013 : 9:45 AM - 10:00 AM

Iman Meziane, MS , Mohammed VI Center for Cancer Traitement, Casablanca Medical School, University of Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco
Abdel-Latif Benider, MD , Mohammed VI Center for Cancer Traitement, Casablanca Medical School, University of Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco
Kimberly Siegler , Laboratory for Public Health Informatics and Genomics, Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Kaoutar Maghefour , Laboratory for Public Health Informatics and Genomics, Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Aurash Mohaimani, BS , Laboratory for Public Health Informatics and Genomics, Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Peter Tonellato, PhD , Laboratory for Public Health Informatics and Genomics, Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease with strongly interacting risk factors including genetic susceptibility, environment and lifestyle. Breast cancer incidence varies between regions, within ethnic groups and across environmental differences, necessitating the local study of risk factor profiles. The Moroccan population suffers from a higher incidence rate of invasive breast cancer potentially attributable to unique local factors, such as pesticide exposure. Assessment of these factors provides health care systems with better information to detect and prevent breast cancer in Morocco and perhaps use or adjust U.S. screening and preventive strategies tailored to local risk assessment. We aim to collect and use data from the Moroccan population to identify and assess local risk factors and have digitized nearly 3000 breast cancer patient medical records. Presently, we are using REDCap (Research Electronic Database Capture) to collect digitized medical records and create a comprehensive Moroccan Breast Cancer Risk assessment survey tool which will allow Moroccan sites to participate in this nation-wide agenda. Preliminary results show major differences in the distribution of risk factors and breast cancer subtypes among rural women (73% of total) versus urban women (27% of total). Also, initial assessments indicate that over half of women living near Casablanca have dense breast tissue, which indicate that a chemoprevention strategy may serve as a key preventive tactic. Results from this study will produce a web-based resource to collect and analyze data throughout Morocco, thereby benefitting the entire country's population across diverse ethnic, cultural and environmental backgrounds.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture

Learning Objectives:
Describe the epidemiological conditions for breast cancer prevalence among Moroccan women. Explain how assessment of local risk factors may augment breast cancer screening and preventive efforts.

Keywords: Breast Cancer Screening, Cancer Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified as PI and Director of the Laboratory for Public Health Informatics and Genomics which conducts the studies for which this abstract is based. My lab develops methods, collaborates on studies and conducts validation analysis on a wide spectrum of research with population-wide health impact.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.