Breast cancer survivors invited to participate in blood draw tomorrow to advance research

Hoag Family Cancer Institute and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, with support from Susan G Komen Orange County, are hosting a unique blood drive to help shape the future of breast cancer care. 

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 22 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., breast cancer survivors are invited to participate in a blood draw to help advance breast cancer research. The event taking place at Patty & George Hoag Cancer Center Auditorium.

Through a simple blood draw, breast cancer survivors have the opportunity to participate in a research study that will help develop more robust screening strategies to predict metastatic breast cancer recurrence. With 90 percent of breast cancer-related deaths being due to metastasis, early stage breast cancer patients would benefit enormously by a greater availability of molecular indicators that could predict metastasis.

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This unconventional collaborative approach between scientists and patients, known as “Bench with Bedside,” sheds new light on the scientific research process itself, and allows patients to follow the results and learn of the outcomes of the samples they donated.

This type of event gives researchers the opportunity to tap into a network of survivors, forming a connection with patients as they involve them in research and empower them with knowledge, hope and transparency.

A greater sense of involvement will lead to a greater sense of investment in the project and its outcomes, all while improving patient participation, enrollment, access to critical follow-up data, and funding for the study.

To see if you are eligible for this important research study, visit thebenchwithbedsideinitiative.usc.edu.