The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., has received a record-setting $25 million donation to establish a center dedicated to triple negative breast cancer.
The new center will focus on treating patients with the highly aggressive form of breast cancer and advancing research on treatments. The gift, from an anonymous donor, is the largest donation in UNC Lineberger's history and will also go toward research to develop treatments for metastatic disease, improving pediatric cancer care and eliminating racial disparities in treatment outcomes, according to a Jan. 25 news release.
Lisa Carey, MD, will serve as inaugural director of the UNC Lineberger Center for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
"While research advances in the past 30 years have led to new and more effective treatments for many types of breast cancer, this isn't the case with triple negative breast cancer," Dr. Carey said. "The good news is this gift will be a game changer. It provides the cancer center with the resources to expand and speed the pace of our research focused on generating insights that lead to better treatments and outcomes for women with triple negative breast cancer."
This type of breast cancer accounts for about 10 to 20 percent of cases in the U.S. and disproportionately affects Black, Latina and young women.