26 May 2023

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Columbia U researcher identifies causes of racial disparities in head, neck cancers

By Columbia University CDM News

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In a recently published study, Dr. Fatemeh Momen-Heravi, DDS, MPH, PhD, MS, an associate professor at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, identified a number of genomic alterations and molecular signatures in head and neck cancers (HNC) that may explain the disparities in screening, detection, treatment, and survival between racial groups.

Approximately 630,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with cancers of the oral cavity, throat nose and sinuses each year, resulting in more than 350,000 deaths. Momen-Heravi’s research focused on the molecular features of HNC tumors, specifically in patients with African ancestry. The data revealed that in patients of African ancestry there is a genetic pathway that may explain the development of more aggressive HNC tumors.

According to a university news story, Momen-Heravi said that the findings are significant because they will inform a more personalized approach to diagnosis and treatment of these types of cancers in minority populations.

“Our findings have the potential to help develop more individualized and targeted screening, diagnostic, and treatment modalities to improve health outcomes for Black patients with head and neck cancer," she said.

Momen-Heravi said that the support for her research from the American Association for Cancer Research enabled her team to “to conduct more comprehensive studies into the molecular basis and genomics of head and neck cancer disparities in Black populations.”

Additionally, she said, the award enabled the team to “extend the impact” of the research and has provided the resources for new research and collaboration.

Momen-Heravi is also the director of the head and neck cancer research group at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. This research was funded in part by the AACR -The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research “Science of the Patient” grant.

Read more about Momen-Heravi’s study in Clinical Cancer Research, which is produced by the American Association for Cancer Research.