HONOLULU -- Two local research projects are approaching the prevention and treatment of cancer through medical and behavioral methods.

Not all breast cancer is confined to the breast. The cells that spread are called metastasis and cause other organs to not function properly.

“They start invading the surrounding tissue in the mammary gland, in the breast itself, and they acquire more ability to be even more aggressive and invade other parts of the body. Can travel from the breast over to the brain, for example, or the bone marrow or the lung for example,” said Wael Elshamy, assistant professor and researcher at the John A. Burns School of Medicine Pathology Department.

His lab is studying how and why these cells develop. Elshamy said one reason so far is BRCA1, a mutated gene, passed from a mother to a daughter, which increases the woman's chance of getting breast cancer by 90 percent. The general population only has a 5 percent chance of getting the disease.

An American Cancer Society study from 2004 showed 200,000 people in the United States would be diagnosed with breast cancer. Forty-five thousand of them would die in 2009, with 95 percent of those deaths attributed to metastasis.

Elshamy said there's an urgent need to find a drug to stop the aggressive phase that leads to death. A current study the research team is working on could cut the wait time for FDA approval by 10 to 15 years.

“I can't tell you more now but we think we've stumbled upon one of those very important interactions. When we inhibit this other protein, the cells kill themselves because they are suffering from low level of the one that we are working with.”

Meanwhile, the University of Hawaii is near the end of a three-year research project specific to native Hawaiians who have one of the lowest survival rates.

A professor at the Myron B. Thompson School of Social work and principal investigator of the project Ku Me Ka Ohana, Noreen Mokuau, said, “It could be a lack of a cultural responsiveness of health care providers. A woman may come in, may get her mammogram but may not feel welcomed. Could even be the lack of insurance or funds for the care. So it's a variety of reasons.”

A $300,000 grant from the Komen Foundation was used to create the culturally based study through social intervention.

“We designed the study to accommodate the values and practices of Hawaiian ohana, to help them learn how best to do with the cancer in the way that they can learn,” said Mokuau.

The study includes helping the patient and family cope with the emotional turmoil brought on by breast cancer, creating access to credible information and teaching the patient to be diligent about medication, treatment and exams.

The program also helps families balance household responsibilities.

“Things have to change in the home situation. The woman can't keep cooking, buying food, picking up the kids, cleaning the house,” said Mokuau.

Both research teams agree raising awareness and funds through events like the race for the cure are essential to defeating cancer.

“Without fund, the lab and research will stop. You can't hire, you can't do experiment; you can't know what cancer is. The lab is 100 percent dependent on funds,” said Elshamy.