A major milestone for the lobular breast cancer research community was attained with the launch of the Lobular American Research Consortium (LARC), the first national, investigator-led research consortium in the United States dedicated exclusively to invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). LARC will bring together leading researchers from cancer centers across the U.S. and Canada to accelerate collaboration in ILC research, advancing data sharing, biomarker discovery, imaging research, and clinical trial development.

LARC aims to more rapidly increase better understanding of the behavior of lobular breast cancer and discovery of lobular-specific treatments improving outcomes for people diagnosed with lobular breast cancer everywhere. 

Several members of the LBCA Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) will serve in key leadership roles, including Dr. Matthew Sikora, Dr. Rita Mukhtar, Dr. Rachel Jankowitz and Dr. Steffi Oesterreich, past SAB member and founding chair. LARC and its members highly value the role of patient advocates in ILC research and have long-standing commitments to engagement with patient advocates.

Going forward LARC will partner with patient advocates and advocacy organizations in the development of important initiatives leveraging LARC members’ deep ties to the advocacy LBCA is excited to support this effort which will significantly accelerate the multi-center lobular breast cancer study and data sharing that ILC research needs.

Read more about LARC here.