UnityBC

UnityBC (Understanding Inequities in Breast Cancer) is a new national research study funded by Cancer Research UK.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, yet outcomes are not the same for everyone. UnityBC will investigate why experiences and outcomes from breast cancer differ between women from various ethnic backgrounds in the UK. In 2021, the largest ethnic groups for women included White British, Black African, Black Caribbean, Indian and Pakistani communities.

Women from minority ethnic backgrounds are diagnosed with breast cancer less often than white women but they generally have poorer outcomes. The reasons for this are not well understood, but could be related to differences in how women access healthcare or differences within the cancer itself. Existing studies do not have enough women from key ethnic groups and information the type of factors that affect the chances of developing breast cancer to answer these questions properly.

UnityBC has been created to address these gaps. A diverse group of patients and public volunteers guides our work, ensuring the study is relevant to women from all backgrounds.

The study will be open to all women aged 18 and over who have been diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous 13 months. UnityBC will run entirely online and women will be able to self-refer to join the study through our website. Women who take part will get regular updates and become part of an active research community.

Women from minority ethnic communities are often missing from health research. UnityBC will initially run for 12 months to test if is working well and easy to take part for women from these backgrounds. Recruitment will focus on areas of the UK with more diverse populations, and results from the first 12 months will show us how best to reach and involve women from all backgrounds.

What does taking part involve?

Taking part in UnityBC means completing an online questionnaire.

You can take part if you:

• Are female, aged 18 years or above and live in the United Kingdom
• Were diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 13 months
• Can access the internet, either directly or via a family member or friend
• Have an email address

Please contact the study team if you need to access to study information in another language.

Start the questionnaire.

WHO IS ORGANISING UNITYBC?

UnityBC is led by a research team based in the Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Oxford Population Health and the Oxford Cancer Centre, both at the University of Oxford.

UnityBC is funded by Cancer Research UK (Grant reference number: PRCPJT-Nov22/100007)

IRAS Approval Reference: 367419. REC reference: 26/NW/0128.

UnityBC is part of the Ethnicity and Breast Cancer programme of work.