UnityBC
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Unity Breast Cancer Study _ understanding inequities in breast cancer
IRAS ID
367419
Contact name
Toral Gathani
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford / Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 13 days
Research summary
UnityBC (Understanding Inequity in Breast Cancer) is a new national research study funded by Cancer Research UK.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, yet outcomes are not the same for everyone.
UnityBC will investigate why experiences and outcomes from breast cancer differ between women from various ethnic backgrounds in the UK. In 2021, the largest ethnic groups for women included White British, Black African, Black Caribbean, Indian and Pakistani communities.
Women from minority ethnic backgrounds are diagnosed with breast cancer less often than white women but they generally have poorer outcomes. The reasons for this are not well understood, but could be related to differences in how women access healthcare or differences within the cancer itself. Existing studies do not have enough women from key ethnic groups and information the type of factors that affect the chances of developing breast cancer to answer these questions properly.
UnityBC has been created to address these gaps. A diverse group of patients and public volunteers guides our work, ensuring the study is relevant to women from all backgrounds.The study will be open to all women aged 18 and over who have been diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous 13 months. UnityBC will run entirely online and women will be able to self-refer to join the study through our website. Women who take part will get regular updates and become part of an active research community.
Women from minority ethnic communities are often missing from health research. UnityBC will initially run for 12 months to test if is working well and easy to take part for women from these backgrounds. Recruitment will focus on areas of the UK with more diverse populations, and results from the first 12 months will show us how best to reach and involve women from all backgrounds.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NW/0128
Date of REC Opinion
13 May 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion