Army of Women Breast Milk Study

I wanted to share this study for the Army of Women, although I do not qualify, I hope some of you might know someone who does!

Project Title The Milk Study: Using Breast Milk to Screen for Breast Cancer and Assess Breast-Cancer Risk

Researcher Kathleen Arcaro, Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Study Summary The purpose of this study is to determine if breast cancer and breast cancer risk can be accurately assessed from a breast milk sample. Currently, there is no accurate way to give women information about their personal risk of developing breast cancer. We will use the cells naturally present in breast milk to examine changes in DNA that occur in association with benign and cancerous breast lesions. Learning about the genetic changes associated with both breast cancer and non-cancerous breast lesions will help us develop a way to provide women with information about their breast cancer risk. Using breast milk to screen for breast cancer will reduce unnecessary biopsies among nursing women.

Who Can Participate? You can join the Milk Study if you are:
• Currently NURSING/BREAST-FEEDING a baby
AND
• You are either GOING TO HAVE A BREAST BIOPSY in the near future or you HAVE HAD A BREAST BIOPSY in the past.

What Does Participation Involve? You will be shipped a milk collection container, informed consent form, and questionnaire. You will be asked to complete the consent form and questionnaire and to donate about 2.5 ounces of fresh breast milk from each breast. You will put the consent form, questionnaire, and breast milk in a box that will be picked up by Fed-Ex. You will be asked to provide a copy of the biopsy report. Approximately 1 year after sending your breast milk sample, the researcher will contact you to ask about any breast problems you have had in the last year.

Where? Anywhere in the United States