Cancer Prevention and Control

Rutgers Biomedical And Health Sciences, Newark NJ

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

CANCER PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAM PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The overarching goal of the Cancer Prevention and Control (CPC) Program is to advance population research that elucidates and addresses Catchment Area (CA) cancer risks and outcomes, thus potentiating the impact of translational research via collaboration among diverse faculty, trainees, and communities towards cancer health equity. CPC utilizes CA resources (e.g., the NJ State Cancer Registry that is administered by CINJ, RWJBH integrated health system) to identify and understand risk factors and outcome trajectories at multiple levels. Members develop, evaluate, and inform implementation of interventions, strategies, guidelines, and policies to address these risks, reduce cancer burden, and improve outcomes. Aligning with CINJ’s strategic plan and catchment area priorities, CPC’s research falls into three major areas: 1) cancer epidemiology research that evaluates multi-level factors (e.g., social determinants of health, neighborhood built environment, lifestyle and biological factors) as predictors of racial and ethnic disparities in cancer risk, treatment, patient-reported outcomes, and survival; 2) research designed to understand tobacco use and inform implementation of effective tobacco control strategies; and 3) behavioral sciences research that elucidates and mitigates cancer risk, and improves prevention and screening behaviors, as well as quality of life and other cancer outcomes through theoretically-informed individual-, family-, system-level, and technology-based interventions and implementation science. Since the last review, CPC has experienced considerable growth in expertise, funding, and collaborations, with novel research findings and direct sustained public health impact. CPC currently has 58 members conducting cancer prevention and control research in 17 departments across seven schools in two universities. In the current funding period, CPC members are highly productive, and collaborative as shown by its 729 cancer-focused research publications, of which 33% are intraprogrammatic, 20% interprogrammatic, and 79% multi-institutional. CPC funding has also substantially increased by 67%, with a current research portfolio of $10.2 million (annual direct costs) in cancer-relevant grant projects, with $6.9 million (direct costs) from NCI. CPC is led by senior investigators with complementary expertise and distinct roles in leading the Program, Drs. Elisa Bandera (epidemiology) and Carolyn Heckman (behavioral sciences). The Program benefits from diverse expertise and transdisciplinary collaborations across the cancer continuum including prevention, survivorship, health equity, care delivery and coordination, and tobacco control, as well as a strong record of mentoring the next generation of diverse researchers in these areas. CPC research is invoked by bidirectional communication with the Community Outreach and Engagement team and community to address CA needs that also impact broader practices, policies, and health equity. Plans for the next funding period include enhancing transdisciplinary research, cancer research training, and bidirectional community engagement to address CA priorities, with the ultimate goal of reducing the cancer burden in NJ and beyond.