The African Breast Cancer Epidemiology Study

(AFBRECANE)

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About the Study

The AFBRECANE study is a case-control study funded by the NIH Common Fund to explore the genomic and epidemiological risk factors of molecular subtypes of breast cancer in African women.

The project is supported by the:
National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U01HG009784.

Our Objectives

AFBRECANE study aims to achieve the following underlisted objectives

1.

Determine the prevalence of molecular subtypes of breast cancer in Nigerian women using Immunohistochemistry (IHC).

2.

Characterize the secular trend in incidence of breast cancer and its molecular subtypes in Nigeria.

3.

Identify the epidemiological risk factors of incident breast cancer and its molecular subtypes in Nigeria.

4.

Determine nutritional risk factors for breast cancer in Nigerian women using FFQ, FPB and serum biomarkers.

5.

Conduct genome-wide association study (GWAS) of breast cancer and its molecular subtypes in Nigerian women.

6.

Utilize Mendelian Randomization to test associations between SNPs associated with serum vitamin D and breast cancer in Nigerian women.

Methodology

This is a case-control study of 1,000 breast cancer cases and 11,000 controls lasting 5 years. Cases are women with clinical diagnosis of breast cancer identified at the clinical sites and linked to the cancer registries. Additional cases are breast cancer patients identified through the cancer registries in the cities where the studies are being conducted. Cases are interviewed, their breast cancer stage is evaluated, and their biological samples obtained. Total duration of subject participation in the clinic is ~ 2 hours. Controls are women participating in the ACCME Cohort. The data on the control participants is obtained from the ACCME database along with their results of their GWAS analysis.

Inclusion Criteria for cases: All newly-diagnosed patients with primary invasive breast cancer aged 18 years and over at clinical sites in Ibadan, Enugu and Abuja are eligible and will be recruited into this study.

Progress so far

  • Sept. 2018: Participant enrollment commenced and is still ongoing.
  • Six hundred and thirty-five (635) participants are presently enrolled.
  • The study is conducted across four (4) clinical sites and two (2) population-based cancer registries.
  • July 2019: Study consultants and research coordinators attended the SOCRON/ASCO Multidisciplinary Cancer Management Course (MCMC) held in Lagos, Nigeria.
  • Sept. 2019: Study coordinators attended the 13th H3Africa meeting held in Accra, Ghana.
  • Feb. 2020: Part-support of study consultants to make a presentation at the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) conference in FCT, Nigeria.

Research Team

Principal Investigator

Prof. Clement A. Adebamowo

In 2009, I transitioned to the Institute of Human Virology; and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health where I am tenured Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health and Associate Director (Population Science) at the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Maryland, Baltimore

Co-Investigators and Site PIs

Dr. Sally N. Adebamowo

Co-Investigator

I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, U.S. I am a physician and epidemiologist with expertise and publications in ethics, biostatistics, qualitative methods, clinical trials, epidemiology and genomics studies.

Dr. Adeola Fowotade

Co-Investigator

I am a Clinical Virologist at the University College Hospital and a Senior Lecturer in the Clinical Virology unit of the department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine University of Ibadan. I am a sub investigator on the Ibadan arm of the AFBRECANE Project. I am responsible for analysis of breast cancer tissue by geneXpert.

Prof. Terna Yawe

UATH, Abuja Site PI

I am a professor of surgery at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Nigeria.

Prof. Emmanuel R. Ezeome

UNTH, Enugu Site PI

Prof. Emmanuel R. Ezeome is a Professor of Surgery and a Consultant Surgical Oncologist. He is the Director of the Oncology Center and the Head, General Surgery Division, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu (UNTH-E), Nigeria. His research interests include Cancer Epidemiology, Cancer control in resource limited environments and Bioethical issues in genomic research. He is the UNTH-E site principal investigator in the African Female Breast Cancer Epidemiology (AFBRECANE) Study.

Olawale Ayodele Badejo

NHA, Abuja Site PI

I am a Chief Consultant General Surgeon at the National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria and head of the GS2 team responsible for management of breast cancer related cases as well as a colorectal surgeon. I am responsible for recruiting, after counselling and obtaining consent of patients at the National Hospital for the AFBRECANE study. I train Residents on, and collect the breast tissue biopsy, some times under ultrasound guidance as well as collate monthly data and reporting same to the National PI for overall collation.

Omobolaji O. Ayandipo

UCH, Ibadan Site PI

I am a Senior Lecturer/ Consultant Surgeon in the Division of Oncological Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine/University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. I obtained a Masters in Clinical Research from the University of Liverpool. My primary role in the AFBRECANE project is the co-ordination of all site activities as well as recruitment of all eligible patients into the study.

Study Coordinators

Ogechukwu Ikwueme

Research Coordinator

I am a research coordinator at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, a graduate of Nursing Sciences with a master’s in public health and over 5years of experience in breast cancer research. I am responsible for coordinating other team members of the project, enrolling qualified participants into the project through administration of study questionnaires, phlebotomy, proper handling/transportation of samples to the laboratory for analysis and mobile data-capture while maintaining a high degree of confidentiality.

Temilola Yusuf

Research Coordinator

I am a research coordinator at the Center for Bioethics and Research. I hold a postgraduate degree in Pharmacology and have over 4years experience in health research. I coordinate the activities of the team in UCH and ensure that the study is executed according to the protocol. I am also involved in the enrolling of eligible participants into the study by administering case report forms using mobile data capture and transporting of samples to the laboratory for analysis.

Erhunmwonsere Iyobosa Juliet

UATH Site Coordinator

I am a Research nurse with the International Research Center of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria. I am a registered Nurse/Midwife with BNSc in Nursing and over 8 years of both Clinical, Research and administrative experience. As site coordinator, I oversee all site activities (recruitment of participants, data collection and documentation, sample collection/transportation and follow up of participants.)

Oluranti Ayotunde Famooto

Laboratory Manager

I am a Research Scientist and Laboratory Manager at the Institute of Human Virology, Abuja with graduate degree in Advanced Oncology. I planned and contributed to the establishment of the first Immunohistochemistry laboratory in West Africa which produced the first published paper that challenged the paradigm of immunohistochemistry subtypes of breast cancer genes in Africa in 2008. I am responsible for all laboratory aspect of AFBRECANE project.

Izuchukwu Benerdin Achusi

Histopathologist

I am a pathologist with eight years post fellowship experience in surgical pathology, cytopathology and immunohistochemistry. I am responsible for interpreting breast tissue histology slides (H&E and immunohistochemistry).

Adeyinka Owoade

Program Administrator

I am a Senior Program Coordinator with the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN). I have a BSc degree from University of Ibadan, Nigeria and an MSc degree in Program Administration from University of Central Florida, Orlando. I coordinate the finance and general administration of Afbrecane grant.

Associates

Adeola Akintola

Data Manager

I work as a research associate and data manager at the Center for Bioethics and Research (Ibadan, Nigeria). I have graduate degree in epidemiology and medical statistics with over 5 years of experience in public health related research. My primary responsibilities revolves around the entire data management oversight of the AFBRECANE study

Mary Yetunde Kodaolu

Data Manager

I am a Data Manager at the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria, a graduate of Epidemiology & Medical Statistics with experience in public health, quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. I am responsible for the AFBRECANE study data management for data collection and to ensure quality, adequate and accurate data.

Temitope Olayinka

Data Manager

I am a research assistant and data manager at the Center for Bioethics and Research (Ibadan, Nigeria). I am responsible for performing regular data quality checks to ensure data completeness and correctness.

Ishidi Pur Ijagila

Research Assistant

Ishidi works in the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria as a Research Assistant in the laboratory on the AFBRECANE study. She is responsible for pre-analytic processing and storage of samples, reagents and buffers preparation, processing Histopathology slides, H&E and IHC assays, use of GeneXpert technology, as well as data entry.

Abimbola Nwoko

Research Associate

Abimbola is primarily responsible for going through participants' clinical records to identify the drugs currently prescribed for their chemotherapy and radiotherapy; collection of samples; follow-up of participants via phone call and text message and reporting to research coordinator research progress.

Abisola Famooto

Research Associate

Abisola has received several trainings in science laboratory and ethical conduct of genomics research. She has extensive experience in clinical, epidemiological and genomics studies.

Ayobami Jane Ademola

Research Associate

I am a Research Assistant at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada. I am a graduate of Bio-Chemistry with over 7 years experience. I am also presently pursuing another degree in Public Health. I am responsible for recruiting patients into the study, imputing their data into REDCap, assisting Doctors while taking Biopsy and updating Cancer Registry

Olubanke Ipadeola

Research Associate

I am a Research Associate on the AFBRECANE Study with Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN). I have certified training in Human Subjects Research, Responsible Conduct of Research and Biosafety/Biosecurity from the CITI program of the Center for Bioethics and Research. I am responsible for the inventory of the AFBRECANE study materials and the biorepository.

Nkwodimmah Chibuzor Grace

Research Associate

I am a Registered Nurse/Midwife at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. My responsibilities on the AFBRECANE project include recruiting patients into the study, data entry, sample collection during biopsy, forwarding to lab for processing, and educating participants on different treatment options available.

Nze Faithful

Research Associate

I work in the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria as a Research Assistant in the AFBRECANE study. I am responsible for pre-analytic processing and storage of samples, reagents and buffers preparation, processing Histopathology slides, H&E and IHC assays, use of GeneXpert technology, as well as data entry.

Robinson Ugwu

Research Associate

I am a Graduate Nurse working as a Research Coordinator AFBRECANE UNTH site with Institute of Human Virology Nigeria. I obtain informed consent from participants, collect their data, blood samples and breast tissue samples, transport the blood to laboratory for processing and storage, transport breast tissue samples in a buffered formalin to IHVN bio-repository laboratory Abuja for histology and immunohistochemistry, follow-up participants, and provide monthly reports.

Tobiloba Oyediran

Database Administrator

I am a research assistant and database administrator at the Center for Bioethics and Research (Ibadan, Nigeria), an engineering graduate with over 5 years of experience in IT system administration. I am responsible for the maintenance and update of the project database and the mobile data-capture devices to ensure data confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Collaborators

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