Cancer Control and Survivorship

University Of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

CANCER CONTROL AND SURVIVORSHIP RESEARCH PROGRAM (CCS) ABSTRACT For over 25 years, the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) has produced impactful research in cancer prevention and control, spanning the entire cancer control continuum. This work is based in the Cancer Control and Survivorship (CCS) Program, which has the breadth and depth of faculty expertise to tackle existing and emerging cancer control problems using approaches from genomics, machine learning, smarter cancer prevention and screening strategies, health outcomes research, and implementation science which can guide cancer care delivery from primary prevention through end-of-life settings and can inform health policy. There are 46 members in the CCS Program representing 16 departments spanning the Fielding School of Public Health, the David Geffen School of Medicine, and the College of Letters and Sciences. As of March 1, 2019, Program support was $26,487,925 in direct cost funding, of which $3,850,239 (15%) was from the NCI and $12,843,034 (48%) was peer-reviewed. Program research resulted in 1,127 publications between 2013-2018, of which 21% were intra-programmatic and 13% were inter-programmatic collaborations, with extensive use of the BASE shared resource. Also, 73% of total publications were inter-institutional collaborations, with 34% of the total in high-impact (IF ≥10, or field leading) journals. The CCS Program has three specific aims. Aim 1: To identify risk and protective factors for cancer as well as the most effective strategies for reducing cancer risk in the population. Aim 2: To determine the best methodologies for cancer screening and diagnosis and to identify the most effective strategies to increase uptake of cancer screening at the population level. Aim 3: To conduct research with findings that have the potential to reduce avoidable morbidity and mortality among patients with cancer and long-term survivors of cancer. CCS research is informed by, and highly responsive to, the cancer burden and needs of the JCCC catchment area, Los Angeles County (LAC). The county cancer burden is high, with large differences in cancer risk factors and cancer outcomes by ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic indicators. Thus, cross cutting themes that address health disparities and improvements in health outcomes permeate the research conducted by CCS investigators. Examples of impactful program research in the prior project period include: (1) Research showing very low rates of HPV vaccination for low income, ethnic minority adolescents in safety-net settings, resulting in multiple trials to improve vaccine uptake. (2) A study demonstrating the cost effectiveness of low-dose lung cancer CT screening that influenced the national dialog on lung cancer screening guidelines. (3) Findings that incidence rates for several childhood cancers among children of US born Latinas were higher than for children of immigrant Latinas, implicating lifestyle and environment during pregnancy. (4) A study in breast cancer survivors with severe insomnia showing that standard-of-care cognitive behavioral therapy-insomnia (CBT-I) or Tai Chi Chih (TCC) were both effective, but access to CBT-I therapists is limited, whereas TCC is widely accessible.