American Society Of Preventive Oncology Research Articles

Addressing Social Risks to Accelerate Health Equity in Cancer Prevention and Control.

Addressing social risks in cancer prevention and control presents a new opportunity for accelerating cancer health equity. As members of the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) Cancer Health Disparities Special Interest Group, we describe the current state of science on social risks in oncology research and practice. To reduce and eliminate the unjust burden of cancer, we also provide recommendations for multilevel research examining social risks as contributors to inequities and the development of social risks-focused interventions. Suggestions for research and practice are provided within levels of the socio-ecological model, including the interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy levels.

Community Outreach and Engagement at U.S. Cancer Centers: Notes from the Third Cancer Center Community Impact Forum.

Community outreach and engagement (COE) is a fundamental activity of cancer centers as they aim to reduce cancer disparities in their geographic catchment areas. As part of COE, NCI-Designated Cancer Centers must monitor the burden of cancer in their catchment area, implement and evaluate evidence-based strategies, stimulate catchment area relevant research, support clinical trial enrollment, and participate in policy and advocacy initiatives, in addition to other responsibilities. The Cancer Center Community Impact Forum (CCCIF) is a national annual meeting of COE professionals who work at or with cancer centers across the country. CCCIF grew out of earlier discussions at American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) annual meetings, where COE was often discussed, but not exclusively. The third annual CCCIF meeting-hosted by the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University-was held in June 2022 in Philadelphia, PA, where more than 200 participants listened to dynamic presentations across 12 COE-related panel sessions. CCCIF leadership and ASPO AD/PL Workshop Planners worked together on the agenda. The 12 sessions used a COE lens to focus on: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Policy; State Cancer Coalitions; Evaluation and Metrics; Implementation Science; In-reach; Outreach; Training and Education; Funding, Personnel and Resources; Clinical Trials; Innovative Methods; and Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. This article is a summary of main points and key lessons from each session, as well as a summary of overarching themes that were evident across the sessions.

Structural Racism and Cancer: Calls to Action for Cancer Researchers to Address Racial/Ethnic Cancer Inequity in the United States.

As leaders with the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) Cancer Health Disparities Special Interest Group, we describe the role of structural racism in perpetuating cancer health inequity historically, and potential implications of COVID-19 in exacerbating the effects of structural racism on patients with cancer seeking screening, diagnostic care, treatment, and survivorship support. As a strategy to reduce cancer inequities in the United States, we provide the following calls to action for cancer researchers to help alleviate the burden of structural racism: (i) identify and name structural racism while describing its operation within all aspects of scientific research; (ii) comprehensively integrate discussions on structural racism into teaching, mentoring, and service activities; and (iii) understand and support community actions to address structural racism.

2020 and 2021 Cullen & Fraumeni Awards Presented At ASPO's 45th Annual Meeting

2020 and 2021 Cullen & Fraumeni Awards Presented At ASPO's 45th Annual Meeting

Strategies for Success: Landing Your First Academic Position and Navigating the Early Years-A Report from the American Society of Preventive Oncology's Early Career Investigator Special Interest Group.

As part of the 2019 American Society of Preventative Oncology (ASPO) annual meeting, the Early Career Investigator Special Interest Group organized a session entitled "Strategies for Success: Landing Your First Academic Position and Navigating the Early Years."* This session was designed to provide senior doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows with strategies for preparing successful faculty job applications. Furthermore, strategies and best practices to help guide early career faculty through the initial years of their academic positions were also discussed. This report summarizes the main themes of the session, including advice and recommendations from the panelists.

Health Equity, Culture, and Cancer-American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO)'s 2021 Annual Meeting.

Health inequities are not new. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and recent death of George Floyd among many other people of color has brought the issues of structural racism and discrimination and health inequity into the forefront of American consciousness. Communities of color, and people who are low income, rural, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+), immigrants, and indigenous, among others, face disproportionate and inequitable cancer burden. While advances in prevention and control research have led to improvements in cancer incidence and better survival from cancer overall, U.S. cancer inequities persist, and for some populations, gaps have widened over time. For example, Black Americans, of all racial or ethnic groups, face the highest death rate and the lowest survival rate for most cancers in the United States.To inspire and propel cancer prevention research and intervention toward achieving health equity, the theme of the 45th ASPO meeting will be Health Equity, Culture, and Cancer. As a first step, we assembled an outstanding program committee selected for their commitment and expertise in key areas of cancer health disparities. Working closely with the program committee, we organized a thought-provoking meeting designed to address high-priority emergent challenges to cancer equity, including COVID-19. Four symposia are planned on the topics of: (i) structural racism, discrimination, and cancer, (ii) unequal access to cancer prevention and care, (iii) novel remote technologies that bridge the digital divide, and (iv) impact of COVID-19 in cancer prevention and control. The final program is shaping up with prestigious scholars in each of these topics already confirmed.Call for abstracts is now active and the highest scoring abstracts will be selected for oral presentations at the virtual conference and we will also have, as usual, best poster awards. Meeting registration is now open.ASPO's Annual Meeting will be held virtually from Monday, March 29, 2021 to Wednesday, April 1, 2021. The Associate Director and Program Leader Workshop will be held on Sunday, 28 March. More information is available at www.aspo.org.ASPO's 45th Annual Meeting, Presented VirtuallySchedule as of November 1, 2020, please visit ASPO.org for up-to-date informationProgram Committee:Elisa Bandera, MD, PhD, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, Co-ChairSandi L. Pruitt, PhD, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, Co-ChairKaren Basen-Engquist, PhD, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TXOtis Brawley, MD, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MDScarlett Lin Gomez, MPH, PhD, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CASaira Khan, MPH, PhD, University of Delaware, Newark, DELawrence H. Kushi, ScD, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CAElena Martinez, PhD, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, San Diego, CALisa Newman, MD, MPH, FACS, FASCO, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NYMelissa Simon, MD, MPH, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago. ILOn Demand Only2020 and 2021 Fraumeni and Cullen award addresses

The Role of Dissemination and Implementation Research in Global Tobacco Control: A Report from the American Society of Preventive Oncology.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable cancer mortality worldwide, responsible for more than 20% of global cancer-related deaths and about 70% of global lung cancer–related deaths ([1][1]). While tobacco use has been declining in most high-income countries (HIC), thanks to effective

Big Returns on Investment.

As my 2-year privilege as President of the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) comes rapidly to a close, I am humbled by the immense influence this society has played in my career and by the professional and personal relationships I have enjoyed through service to the organization. ASPO

SC24.02 Radiological Techniques for the Evaluation of Pulmonary Nodules

Radiologic Techniques for the Evaluation of Pulmonary Nodules The incidental detection of pulmonary nodules has increased with improved CT technology and thin section imaging techniques.1,2 Adding to this increased detection of nodules is the heightened interest in the purposeful search for nodules such as in oncology patients and lung cancer screening programs. The management of CT detected nodules is a subject of much debate and dependent upon the clinical setting. For instance, in a lung cancer screening setting, there has been a large volume of investigation of solid, semi-solid and ground glass nodules that is the foundation of management recommendations such as LungRads.3 In patients with a known malignancy, there is minimal literature on management recommendations and thus more influenced by pulmonary metastatic potential of the malignancy and clinician experience.4 Finally incidentally detected nodule management is greatly influenced by cancer risk factors and nodule texture; for these situations, the Fleischner criteria have been the most widely used and accepted management guidelines.5 The radiologic evaluation of nodules most often utilizes conventional imaging techniques of chest radiographs, computed tomography (CT), PET/CT. Occasionally MRI and ultrasound may be employed. Most recent changes involve risk stratification, computer software applications to enhance nodule analysis such as nodule enhancement patterns, volumetric computations, and texture analysis.6-8 Future directions include incorporation of genomics into imaging as well as radiomic analysis and machine learning.9,10 This presentation will review the highlights of the radiologic methods for evaluating pulmonary nodules with a focus on current guidelines and future directions. 1. Frank L, Quint LE. Chest CT incidentalomas: thyroid lesions, enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes, and lung nodules. Cancer imaging : the official publication of the International Cancer Imaging Society 2012;12:41-8. 2. Jacobs PC, Mali WP, Grobbee DE, van der Graaf Y. Prevalence of incidental findings in computed tomographic screening of the chest: a systematic review. Journal of computer assisted tomography 2008;32:214-21. 3. Lung CT Screening Reporting and Data Systen (Lung-RADS). 2014. (Accessed March 27, 2015, at www.acr.org/Quality-Safety/Resources/LungRADS) 4. Munden RF, Erasmus JJ, Wahba H, Fineberg NS. Follow-up of small (4 mm or less) incidentally detected nodules by computed tomography in oncology patients: a retrospective review. J Thorac Oncol 2010;5:1958-62. 5. McMahon PM, Meza R, Plevritis SK, et al. Comparing benefits from many possible computed tomography lung cancer screening programs: extrapolating from the National Lung Screening Trial using comparative modeling. PloS one 2014;9:e99978. 6. McWilliams A, Tammemagi MC, Mayo JR, et al. Probability of cancer in pulmonary nodules detected on first screening CT. N Engl J Med 2013;369:910-9. 7. Revel MP, Merlin A, Peyrard S, et al. Software volumetric evaluation of doubling times for differentiating benign versus malignant pulmonary nodules. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2006;187:135-42. 8. Talwar A, Gleeson FV, Rahman NM, Pickup L, Gooding M, Kadir T. A Review Of The Use Of Computer Aided Texture Analysis For Pulmonary Nodules Classification. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine 2015;191. 9. El-Zein RA, Lopez MS, D'Amelio AM, Jr., et al. The cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay as a strong predictor of lung cancer: extension of a lung cancer risk prediction model. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology 2014;23:2462-70. 10. Gillies RJ, Kinahan PE, Hricak H. Radiomics: Images Are More than Pictures, They Are Data. Radiology 2016;278:563-77. Radiomics, Incidental, nodules, CT

Job Talks and Interviews: How to Stand Out and Fit In: A Report from the American Society of Preventive Oncology Junior Members Interest Group.

The mission of the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) includes fostering the continuing professional development of its members. One major activity of ASPO is to prepare the next generation of cancer prevention and control researchers for successful careers. The process of applying for

Know Your Value: Negotiation Skill Development for Junior Investigators in the Academic Environment--A Report from the American Society of Preventive Oncology's Junior Members Interest Group.

The American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) is a professional society for multidisciplinary investigators in cancer prevention and control. One of the aims of ASPO is to enable investigators at all levels to create new opportunities and maximize their success. One strategy adopted by ASPO was

Building a funded research program in cancer health disparities: considerations for young investigators.

A workshop entitled "Building a funded research program in cancer health disparities" was held at the 38th Annual American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) Meeting. Organized by the Junior Members Interest Group, the session addressed topics relevant to career development for cancer disparities investigators. Such considerations include the development of research programs on a backdrop of existing multi- and transdisciplinary teams, recognizing opportunities for advancing their research, given the growth of consortia-related research, and development of effective community-based partnerships. Key strategies for developing a sustainable career in cancer health disparities in the current environment include the need to effectively engage with communities, appreciate the value of team science and develop cross-discipline collaborations, and navigate the use and utility of consortia for disparities research. Academic considerations related to earning tenure and promotion that may be faced by the junior investigator in cancer health disparities were also discussed. This report may serve to both educate and provide lessons for early-stage investigators who wish to tackle complex scientific questions while developing their careers in cancer health disparities.

Components Necessary for High-Quality Lung Cancer Screening: American College of Chest Physicians and American Thoracic Society Policy Statement

Lung cancer screening with a low-dose chest CT scan can result in more benefit than harm when performed in settings committed to developing and maintaining high-quality programs. This project aimed to identify the components of screening that should be a part of all lung cancer screening programs. To do so, committees with expertise in lung cancer screening were assembled by the Thoracic Oncology Network of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) and the Thoracic Oncology Assembly of the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Lung cancer program components were derived from evidence-based reviews of lung cancer screening and supplemented by expert opinion. This statement was developed and modified based on iterative feedback of the committees. Nine essential components of a lung cancer screening program were identified. Within these components 21 Policy Statements were developed and translated into criteria that could be used to assess the qualification of a program as a screening facility. Two additional Policy Statements related to the need for multisociety governance of lung cancer screening were developed. High-quality lung cancer screening programs can be developed within the presented framework of nine essential program components outlined by our committees. The statement was developed, reviewed, and formally approved by the leadership of CHEST and the ATS. It was subsequently endorsed by the American Association of Throacic Surgery, American Cancer Society, and the American Society of Preventive Oncology.

Correlation between the genotoxicity endpoints measured by two different genotoxicity assays: comet assay and CBMN assay

Correlation between the genotoxicity endpoints measured by two different genotoxicity assays: comet assay and CBMN assay

Challenges and opportunities in international molecular cancer prevention research: An ASPO Molecular Epidemiology and the Environment and International Cancer Prevention Interest Groups Report.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that over half of the new cancer cases and almost two-thirds of the cancer deaths in 2012 occurred in low and middle income countries. To discuss the challenges and opportunities to reducing the burden of cancer worldwide, the Molecular Epidemiology and the Environment and the International Issues in Cancer Special Interest Groups joined forces to hold a session during the 38th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Preventive Oncology (March 2014, Arlington, Virginia). The session highlighted three topics of particular interest to molecular cancer prevention researchers working internationally, specifically: 1) biomarkers in cancer research; 2) environmental exposures and cancer; and 3) molecular pathological epidemiology. A major factor for successful collaboration illuminated during the discussion was the need for strong, committed, and reliable international partners. A key element of establishing such relationships is to thoroughly involve individual international collaborators in the development of the research question; engaged international collaborators are particularly motivated to champion and shepherd the project through all necessary steps, including issues relating to institutional review boards, political sensitivity, laboratory-based assays, and tumor subtyping. Also essential is allotting time for the building, maintaining, and investing in such relationships so that successful international collaborations may take root and bloom. While there are many challenges inherent to international molecular cancer research, the opportunities for furthering the science and prevention of cancer worldwide are great, particularly at this time of increasing cancer incidence and prevalence in low and middle income countries.

Transitioning to Independence and Maintaining Research Careers in a New Funding Climate: American Society of Preventive Oncology Junior Members Interest Group Report

The American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) is a professional society for multi-disciplinary investigators in cancer prevention and control. The ASPO Junior Members Interest Group promotes the interests of predoctoral, postdoctoral, and junior faculty members within the Society, and provides them with career development and training opportunities. To this end, as part of the 37th ASPO Annual Meeting held in Memphis, Tennessee in March 2013, the Junior Members Interest Group organized a session designed to address issues faced by early-career investigators as they navigate the transition to become an independent, well-funded scientist with a sustainable program of research in the current climate of reduced and limited resources. Four speakers were invited to provide their complementary but distinct perspectives on this topic based on their personal experiences in academic, research-intensive positions and in federal funding agencies. This report summarizes the main themes that emerged from the speakers' presentations and audience questions related to mentoring; obtaining grant funding; publishing; developing expertise; navigating appointments, promotion, and tenure; and balancing demands. These lessons can be used by early-career investigators in cancer prevention and control as they transition to independence and build programs of fundable research.

Cancer Prevention for Global Health: A Report from the ASPO International Cancer Prevention Interest Group

As cancer incidence and mortality rates increase in low- and middle-income countries, the need for cancer prevention and control research directed to these countries becomes increasingly important. The American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) is a community of professionals in cancer prevention and control whose mission is to "foster the continuing development of investigators and the exchange and translation of scientific information to reduce the cancer burden." In the session presented at the ASPO 36th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC in March 2012, chaired by Drs. Frank Meyskens and Dejana Braithwaite, Dr. Paolo Boffetta discussed some of the achievements in global cancer prevention and suggested that future efforts focus on three major causes of cancer: tobacco-use, infections, and overweight/obesity. Dr. Timothy Rebbeck presented an overview of prostate cancer research in sub-Saharan Africa and highlighted how the complex nature of prostate cancer etiology and outcomes can be addressed through capacity-building research partnerships. Cancer is an emerging public health challenge in developing countries because of the aging and expansion of the population and increased prevalence of cancer risk factors such as smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and reproductive factors. There are opportunities to reduce the growing cancer burden through the development of research capacity and the application of resource-appropriate interventions.

Careers in Cancer Prevention: What You May Not See from Inside Your Academic Department—A Report from the American Society of Preventive Oncology's Junior Members Interest Group

The American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) is a professional society committed to advancing cancer prevention and control and providing meaningful career development opportunities for members at every stage in their career ([www.aspo.org][1]). The Junior Members Interest Group was formed in

FDA's Tobacco Products Research Program likely to play role in cancer prevention

Editor's note: This is Part 2 of a 2-part series on cancer prevention research. Part 1 was published in the June 1 issue of “CancerScope.” When the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (TCA) became law in 2009, giving the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the power to regulate tobacco products, the FDA created the Center for Tobacco Products. The center's principal mission is to regulate the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of tobacco products. According to David Ashley, PhD, director of the center's Office of Science, scientific research is necessary to inform the FDA's regulations, which involve reducing initiation, promoting cessation, and reducing harms for those who use tobacco products. Understanding the diversity of tobacco products; Reducing addiction to tobacco products; Reducing the toxicity and carcinogenicity of tobacco products and smoke; Understanding the adverse health consequences of tobacco use; Understanding communications about tobacco products; Understanding tobacco product marketing; and Understanding how economics and policies affect tobacco product use. Center representatives add that scientists also can submit basic research proposals if they can inform regulatory issues. Within this framework, the FDA recently announced 56 questions they would like to see answered through research. (For the full list of questions, visit the Center for Tobacco Products' summary of its meeting on research priorities at www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts and click on “News & Events.”) “They're growing a regulatory and research arm from scratch, in a paradigm that's totally foreign to the FDA,” says Peter Shields, MD, president of the American Society of Preventive Oncology and deputy director at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center. “If they applied any of the rules they use for drugs or food to tobacco, they would get rid of it, but the law prohibits them from banning it.” Because Congress will never ban tobacco, the FDA is trying to limit as much as possible the harm of tobacco products, he says. “Tobacco research has been underfunded for 20 years, and now the FDA needs data that doesn't exist,” says Dr. Shields. “There are fundamental, basic questions that need to be answered.” National Study Will Assess Regulation Impact The first large-scale FDA/National Institutes of Health (NIH) study to be announced since the FDA gained authority to regulate tobacco products is a national study of tobacco users to monitor and assess the behavioral and health impacts of new government tobacco regulations. The effort is a collaboration between the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Center for Tobacco Products. What makes people susceptible to tobacco use; Use patterns and resulting health problems; Patterns of tobacco cessation and relapse in the era of tobacco regulation; The effects of regulatory changes on risk perceptions and other tobacco-related attitudes; and Differences in attitudes, behaviors, and key health outcomes in racial/ethnic, gender, and age subgroups. Tobacco research has been underfunded for 20 years, and now the FDA needs data that doesn't exist. There are fundamental, basic questions that need to be answered.—Peter Shields, MD Knowledge gleaned from this study will help the FDA target the most effective actions to decrease the toll of tobacco use on the nation's health, said Margaret Hamburg, FDA commissioner, when the study was announced last fall. More specifically, the results will help the FDA assess the impact of the TCA and understand how best to use its regulatory authority regarding product marketing and standards and communicating the risks of tobacco use. Additional Efforts Similar to the Department of Defense funding breast cancer research, the FDA is contracting with the NIH to award additional grants. Among the questions to be answered is whether the FDA should regulate levels of nicotine. In addition, researchers need to test the blood and urine of people using the new tobacco products to understand their impact. Tobacco companies claim these products reduce carcinogens, but scientists currently do not have those tests. As a result, the best options now are testing individuals for certain biomarkers and developing and validating specific modeling that will determine how regulators can best impact public health, Dr. Shields says. Researchers also need to understand how people use the new products and what they think of them. Clinical trials are difficult to conduct because the typical tobacco user does not want to participate in a trial, Dr. Shields adds. “Tobacco is a complex problem that's been around a long time, and it won't be solved overnight,” he says.

Scientists seek new ways to prevent cancer

Scientists seek new ways to prevent cancer