To demonstrate the breadth and depth of research made possible by our samples, we highlight here three unique studies by different research groups, all of whom have requested and used samples and/or data from the Komen Tissue Bank.
How Early and Ongoing Stress Shapes Health Outcomes for Black Women
Kenzie Latham-Mintus et al., Indiana University
A team of researchers developed a new tool called the Cumulative Stress Inventory of Women’s Experiences (CSI-WE) to better understand how stress builds up over a woman’s lifetime and impacts her health. Using interviews with former KTB donors—15 Black and 15 White women—they explored stress from childhood through adulthood. They used the CSI-WE to show that Black women in the U.S. faced more frequent and intense stressors that were often tied to discrimination and economic hardship. These stressors added up over time, were strongly linked to poorer physical health in adulthood, and often explained Black women’s worse health outcomes than White women.
Unlike past research that looked at stress at just one point in time, this tool allows researchers to see the full picture over a lifetime—helping reveal how early life hardships can shape health in adulthood. This work opens the door for future studies and better tools to identify women at risk earlier, guide support programs, and shape policies to reduce health disparities.
Breast Tissue Biology Differs by Race—And It May Help Explain Cancer Aggressiveness
Rujchanarong et al., Medical University of South Carolina
This research team used samples from the Komen Tissue Bank highlighting how breast tissue biology and cancer risk may differ by ancestry and health factors. It offers insight into why Black women are more likely to develop aggressive breast cancers and emphasizes the need for personalized prevention strategies. The team members focused on N-glycans—complex sugar structures attached to proteins that help cells communicate. These molecules are part of the breast’s stroma, the supportive tissue around other breast cells, and may play a role in how cancer begins, even before a tumor forms.
The researchers compared normal breast tissue from Black and White women to see how N-glycan patterns differed based on race, breast density (how much fibrous tissue vs. fatty tissue), body weight, and menopause. They also looked at breast cancer tissue to see if these sugar patterns in normal tissue persisted in tumors. They found that Black women with dense breast tissue had higher levels of certain N-glycans—especially those associated with aggressive cancers. These patterns not only showed up in normal dense tissue but became even stronger in cancerous tissue. In contrast, White women’s tissue showed fewer changes: their dense breast tissue looked more like fatty tissue in both healthy and cancerous samples.
The study also showed that health factors, such as higher body mass index (BMI) and menopause, in Black women, were linked to more pronounced changes in N-glycan patterns. These same factors did not affect White women’s tissue as strongly, suggesting a complex mix of biology and environment. The Komen Tissue Bank is the only resource in the world with normal breast tissue, individual-level patient reported data, and mammograms that could support this research from a diverse population.
Ridley-Merriweather, K.E., IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
This qualitative study explores how to better recruit Latinas and Asian Americans into breast cancer prevention research through improved communication strategies.
Researchers focused on the Komen Tissue Bank (KTB), the only biorepository collecting healthy breast tissue for cancer research, which like other clinical trials, has faced challenges in recruiting racially and ethnically diverse participants. This study used innovative, participatory focus group methods with 31 women (17 Asian American and 14 Latina participants). These sessions included interactive visual activities designed to encourage reflection and conversation about motivations, concerns, and cultural perspectives related to breast tissue donation.
Three main themes emerged:
The study concludes that traditional focus groups may miss key motivational and cultural nuances. Using creative, participant-centered approaches can yield deeper insights and inform more effective, culturally tailored recruitment strategies. This method holds promise for improving minority representation in clinical research, which is vital for addressing health disparities in breast cancer outcomes.
