Lauren E. Merz, MD

There are persistent racial disparities in cancer outcomes. One cause may be a common variant predominantly found in people identifying as Black or African American called the Duffy null phenotype, which results in lower absolute neutrophil counts (ANC), a measure of white blood cells known as neutrophils. The Duffy null phenotype does not increase risk for infection but is linked to higher risk of triple-negative breast cancer. Many cancer treatments are stopped or reduced if ANC falls below certain levels, resulting in worse outcomes. Dr. Merz’s work focuses on optimizing cancer screening, risk assessment, treatment selection, and treatment delivery by Duffy status. Dr. Merz uses data from clinical trials and observational cohorts to understand the relationship between ANC, infectious complications, treatment administration, and outcomes by Duffy status. She also plans to complete a clinical trial to assess the safety of lowering ANC thresholds for cancer therapy for people with the Duffy null phenotype. Dr. Merz hopes that this work reduces racial disparities in outcomes and personalizes cancer care.