Year 14 Pilot: Linking the Urban Exposome to Breast Tumor Biology in African American Women

PI: Lauren E. McCullough

Study year: 2026

Black women in the United States are more likely to develop aggressive forms of breast cancer and are more likely to die from the disease than White women. These differences cannot be explained by medical care alone. Environmental exposures, such as air pollution, chemicals in homes, and long-term stress from social conditions (e.g., discrimination), may play an important role. However, we still do not know how these exposures affect the biology (i.e., aggressiveness) of breast tumors.

This study will work with Black women in metro Atlanta who were recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Over a two-week period, we will measure environmental exposures in their daily environments, examine markers of these exposures in blood samples, and study features of their breast tumor tissue (e.g., aggressiveness and resistance to treatment). Together, these measurements will help us understand how environmental and social conditions may influence tumor behavior.

This research will identify environmental and social factors that may contribute to more aggressive breast cancer. By identifying environmental risks that affect Black women in Atlanta, this study may guide prevention strategies and help communities, researchers, and policymakers work toward healthier environments and more equitable cancer outcomes.

How this study advances exposome science: This study links multiple real-world environmental exposures, including social conditions, with biological changes in the body and the tumor, helping researchers better understand how environments influence cancer development and progression.