DISCOVER
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Determining the Influence of Social, Cultural and Biological Variations on Ethnic-specific Responses to cancer
IRAS ID
354141
Contact name
Sheeba Irshad
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
This is an observational research looking into factors that can play a part in being diagnosed with cancer, responding to treatment and good survival rate. These factors may have different effect in people from ethnic minority population. We would like to understand these differences and find different pathway to screening, treating and monitoring patients from ethnic minority population.
In the UK, fewer people survive cancer compared to some other countries. One reason is that many new cancer cases happen in people who don’t have good living conditions. People from certain ethnic groups, especially those who are poor, are more likely to have worse cancer outcomes.
Our bodies fight cancer in different ways, but things like money, where we live, our family history, and even our genes can affect how well we fight it. For example, Black women with breast cancer are known to often get a more difficult type of cancer, and Black men with prostate cancer are more likely to die from it. This might be because they find out about their cancer too late, their bodies react differently, or their genes make them more at risk. Scientists are still trying to understand why.
If we study this more, we can help doctors find cancer sooner and treat people in a way that works best for them. We also need to teach people about early signs of cancer so they can see a doctor quickly. The faster cancer is found, the better the chances of stopping it before it spreads.
To make cancer care fair for everyone, we must not only treat cancer but also understand what causes it. Our team is studying how things like the environment and a person’s body affect cancer. Right now, we are focusing on breast, prostate, pancreatic and ovarian cancer in Black and other minority groups. But in the future, we hope to help all cancer patients.
The immune system helps protect us from sickness, including cancer. Some people’s immune systems fight cancer really well, and they survive much longer. We want to study their blood and tissue to learn their secret. If we can understand how their bodies fight cancer, we might be able to help others do the same.REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/WM/0242
Date of REC Opinion
1 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion