Pilot--Ethnic Neutropenia in African Americans and Afro-

Ethnic neutropenia refers to the condition in which healthy individuals of African ancestry have lower neutrophil counts than healthy Caucasian subjects. This has been observed in individuals from the African continent as well as Afro-Caribbeans and African Americans. While differences have been reported among African sub-groups, little sub-group analysis has occurred in the Afro-Caribbean community. We will recruit a total of 200 women from five different subgroups, including African-Americans, English-speaking Caribbeans, Haitians, Dominicans from Hispaniola, and Caucasians. We will obtain background information through a questionnaire as well as collect blood samples for a baseline complete blood cell count (CBC). Two-way ANOVA will be used to assess differences in CBC among the different ethnic groups. This pilot study will allow us to assess the feasibility of collecting serum samples from this population. In addition, it will provide some indication of baseline ethnic differences in white blood cell counts, thereby laying the ground work for future larger scales studies on ethnic neutropenia. One major clinical question that needs to be addressed in the future is whether lower baseline absolute neutrophilic counts (ANC) in patients of African ancestry undergoing chemotherapy, makes them more likely to have dose reductions and missed treatments. The latter has been associated with decreased survival in some cancer patients. Therefore, a better understanding of ethnic neutropenia may prove invaluable in understanding the complexity of cancer-related health care disparities in minority groups.