Sadia Khan is an MSc student in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics at Western University. She is conducting BCC-funded breast cancer research under the mentorship of Dr. Phillip Blanchette and Dr. Jacques Raphael.
- Could you share your motivation/personal connection to breast cancer research?
I have seen friends and family face challenges in getting proper care due to women’s health being understudied. Breast cancer research is exciting to me because it has the potential to reduce care gaps, improve treatment outcomes and ultimately save women’s lives. - What specific areas of breast cancer research are you currently focusing on, and why are they important?
My research looks at how a group of medications called bisphosphonates are being used to treat people with early-stage breast cancer in Ontario. These drugs help strengthen bones and may also lower the chance that breast cancer will spread to the bones. Although studies have shown that bisphosphonates can improve survival for some breast cancer patients if given after surgery, we still do not fully understand how often they are used in everyday medical care. I study large health system data to learn which patients receive these treatments, how well they work for people at higher risk, and what factors affect whether they are prescribed. This research is important because it can help doctors make more evidence-based treatment decisions and improve care for breast cancer patients in the future. - What recent breakthroughs or discoveries in Canadian breast cancer research are exciting to you?
Recent Canadian research on breast cancer has shown promising results in targeted therapies and precision medicine. It has deepened our understanding of how tumour cell populations evolve over time, resist treatment, and evade the patient’s immune system. This may enable early detection of breast cancers, lead to more effective treatments that allow the patient’s immune system to effectively recognize and attack breast cancer cells, and help avoid toxic, expensive treatment failures. - How do you see the future of breast cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment evolving through research?
I see breast cancer care becoming more personalized, with earlier detection through improved imaging and genetic testing that detects cancers years before symptoms appear. Cancer treatment is also becoming increasingly precise, with more targeted therapies that attack only cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, enhancing the immune system’s ability to fight cancer and improve the patient’s quality of life.
- In your opinion, what role can public awareness and advocacy play in advancing breast cancer research and treatment?
Public awareness and advocacy help fund research, ensure that governments and health systems remain up to date with cancer screening and treatment guidelines, and ensures more equitable access to cancer care across the country. Awareness campaigns also help reduce stigma, encourage earlier cancer screening, allow patients to seek help sooner, and motivate them to participate in clinical trials, all of which advance our knowledge of breast cancer and save lives. More importantly, patient partners and cancer survivors increasingly contribute their lived experiences and engage in co-creating knowledge with researchers, ensuring that breast cancer studies address real world patient needs and that treatments consider quality of life, not just survival rates.
