Determining early, through a molecular diagnosis, which women are at risk of developing cancer, is the central objective of the project “Mutations in BRCA 1/2 and the Prevention of Breast Cancer”, an initiative developed by the CancerLab Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine from the Universidad Católica del Norte and financed by the Innovation Fund for Regional Competitiveness (FIC-R) of the Regional Government.
Breast cancer has a higher incidence and mortality among women worldwide, with 2,296,840 new cases and 666,103 deaths in 2022. While in Chile the situation is similar, since 5,640 new cases were reported in 2022 alone, and 1,775 women died from this disease.
“This is a serious health problem, a disease that is expected to continue increasing and that entails great psychological and economic deterioration for families. In addition to the impact that the entire health system suffers. The prevention of breast cancer is an imperative,” said Dr. Giuliano Bernal Dossetto, Director of the CancerLab Laboratory and leader of the research project, which will work with cancer foundations, the La Serena Hospital and the Regional Ministerial Secretariat of Health, to be able to reach women who may be at risk of developing cancer.
In more than 90% of hereditary breast cancer cases, mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) genes are involved, so identifying these mutations in high-risk families is crucial in clinical oncological genetics, as it would allow us to offer genetic counseling, preventive measures and early detection for patients at risk of breast cancer, respectively, explained Dr. Bernal.
PROJECT START
To begin the project “Mutations in BRCA 1/2 and Breast Cancer Prevention”, the seminar “Advances and Challenges in Cancer Prevention and Control in the Coquimbo Region: The Role of Research” was held. which brought together various authorities and representatives of social organizations that work on the issue.
The research has the support of various institutions and professionals, such as Dr. Javier Elorza Dabed, Director of the Hemato-Oncology Unit of the Hospital of La Serena, who pointed out that these are virtuous associations, that “what they are looking for It is to enhance the research area, so that these studies that are carried out through research have a translation into the clinical applications of patients and bring direct benefits to them. Therefore, this alliance between the University, the Hospital and the private world is what will achieve great benefit for patients and the community.”
They are joined by the Center for Cancer Prevention and Control (CECAN), whose Executive Director, Carolina Goic Boroevic, highlighted the importance of being able to make visible the capabilities that exist at the regional level, and at the UCN, in a specific project that will be takes on the challenge of breast cancer, something that he said is established in the law, which is genetic counseling and counseling, the importance of having data on women.
In addition, he was happy to be able to strengthen the working relationships of CECAN with CancerLab of the UCN. “There is a tremendous challenge in the training of researchers, of advanced human capital, in how we have better data and take advantage of it, and also in how we make proposals for public policies, which is the ultimate objective, that all this that is generated as information does not remain only at the university,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Dean of the UCN Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Giselle Myer Morales, highlighted that the project is a great instance of articulation between the private world with the academy and the political world, “cancer is an issue that not only It covers the medical part, but there must be will at the political level and from other institutions to confront this disease that is the leading cause of death in Chile. And as a Faculty we hope to support the specialization of oncologists in the region in the future, because there is a deficit of these specialists in the regions.”
OPPORTUNITIES
The project’s initiation seminar was attended by the vice president of the Senate, Senator Matías Walker Prieto, who highlighted the alliance between CECAN and the CancerLab Laboratory of the UCN Faculty of Medicine, as he said that it is essential, with a view to being able train oncologists in the Coquimbo region who stay in this region. “I think that is the great meaning of this seminar, along with showing what the CDT Cancer Center is doing, and the challenges for the new regional cancer center that we are going to have under the protection of the new La Serena Hospital, and the role in the training of UCN specialists, that permanent work be done based on this data is essential,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Senator Sergio Gahona Bueno, stated that cancer is a national problem, a great health problem, since there are many delays in care, in quality and opportunity, and the Coquimbo region is no exception, since it is the first cause of death in the region. For this reason, the Senator said that it is important that the Universidad Católica del Norte be linked with all instances, both political authorities, administrative authorities, and the Cancer Research Center, CECAN, linking scientific research with the activity of the services. of health and with public policies, so that what is planned, what is thought, what is studied, can finally lead to patients who suffer from cancer having a better life expectancy, can have a solution to their health problem and above all an opportunity to solve your cancer problem.
While Claudia Schartie, pro-secretary of the national board of the Medical College, pointed out that, although it is known that the number of cancer patients in the region is high, the figures presented by the Director of CancerLab shocked her. He added that it is good to see the research development that is planned and how we can all benefit from it.
