The long-term goal of the Hawaiʻi Pacific Islands Mammography Registry (HIPIMR) is to develop accurate and validated models of breast cancer risk and detection in real-time for women with the diverse breast cancer risk profiles as described above who have not been well represented in breast cancer cohorts and clinical trials so far.
Below you will find projects and workshops put on by the UH Cancer Center in collaboration with various research institutions and medical partners to address this issue, with a special focus on the unique population of Hawai‘i and the rest of the Pacific.
Projects
Breast Health Questionnaire Standardization
We propose a project for a breast health questionnaire standardized for use across the state of Hawai‘i. Currently, the breast health information being collected at mammography clinics varies across the state. In many cases, it is inadequate to determine a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer in the future. Using the same questions and information across the state for all women allows for researchers and doctors to calculate breast cancer risk in the same way using the most up-to-date models.
The Makawalu Study: Breast Cancer Screening in the Pacific using Portable Ultrasound
Advanced stage breast cancer (Stage III/IV) rates in the Pacific are much higher than in the US mainland, especially where mammography services do not exist or have low accessibility. Furthermore, Hawaiʻi and Guam both have high insurance coverage and mammography access similar to the US mainland, so why does this problem still exist? In this study, we aim to identify cofactors (breast density, ethnicity, BMI, etc.) that impact the sensitivity and specificity for malignant breast cancer lesion detection on clinical ultrasound images with AI support for readers of varying backgrounds and experience and in areas where mammography is not available.
The Accessible Breast Cancer Screening in the Pacific Study
In this pre-pilot study, we propose to evaluate the effectiveness of the iBreastExam (iBE) as an early detection tool among women of Pacific Islander ancestry. We would also test the acceptance of the technology with an interview of the participants. With the completion of this pilot, we would gain a preliminary understanding of the strengths and limitations of this device and the acceptance of the device in the community.
Workshops
International Breast Density & Cancer Risk Assessment Workshop (IBDW)
The Internationally Breast Density & Cancer Risk Assessment Workshop is held every other year and features three days packed with educational content. IBDW attracts researchers, academics, and allied health professionals from around the world to share what they know about breast density and what it means for breast cancer risk.
Advanced Stage Breast Cancer Workshop (ABC Workshop)
The Advanced Stage Breast Cancer Workshop (ABC Workshop) focuses on advanced stages of breast cancer — definitions, incidence, prevalence, risk factors, risk reduction strategies. With advanced technologies, we also look to feature novel ways to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to study breast cancer risk and survival.