Dr. Figueroa is an internationally recognized expert in breast cancer epidemiology. As a leader of integrative molecular epidemiologic research with a focus on global health, she investigates risk factors associated with breast cancer incidence and mortality in diverse populations.
Breast Cancer in Africa
At DCEG, she was co-principal investigator of the Ghana Breast Health Study, leading the fieldwork, mentoring international colleagues, and building capacity for biospecimen collection to conduct molecular epidemiology studies in low-resource settings. The landmark study is identifying risk factors for different subtypes of breast cancer and will help inform public health strategies for prevention in Africa and African ancestry populations.
Molecular Epidemiology of Breast Cancer
To improve outcomes and address cancer inequities, Dr. Figueroa’s research aims to understand the interplay of biological, environmental, and socioeconomic determinants in cancer epidemiology studies. In Scotland, she investigated whether inequities exist in breast cancer incidence and survival, based on a deprivation index that integrated socioeconomic measures including income, healthcare access, crime, and education. This research showed that incidence of screen-detected, hormone-driven breast cancers was lower in groups with lower socioeconomic status than those with higher socioeconomic status. She also showed that deprivation had different magnitudes of association with survival depending on the molecular subtype of breast cancer.