Abstract A82: University of Guam/University of Hawaii Cancer Center Partnership: Celebrating 10 years of research, training, education, and outreach to reduce cancer health disparities among Pacific Islanders
Authors: Robinett Hali R. , Whippy Helen J.D. , Peterson John A. , Guerrero Rachael T. Leon , Underwood Robert A. , Palafox Neal A. , Ward David C. , Vogel Carl-Wilhelm 
Published: May 2015

Americans of Pacific Islander ancestry are highly underrepresented within the cancer research community. Critical to reducing cancer health disparities in Hawaii, Guam and the neighboring US-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) is research designed and conducted by, for, and with Pacific Islanders. Similarly, dedicated efforts are required to provide education and training opportunities for Pacific Islanders to prepare them for future careers in health disparities research. Currently, eleven jointly-conducted U54-supported projects are addressing research questions: the associations of betel nut use and health related conditions and behaviors among users in Micronesia; sociocultural factors affecting betel nut chewing in Guam; the influence of betel nut use on the oral microbiome; the identification of alkaloids present in the varieties of betel nut on Guam; identification of salivary biomarkers in betel nut consumption; the functional assessment of molecular components of betel nut involved in pro-inflammatory mechanisms of immune cells; community-based participatory approaches to youth tobacco use prevention/cessation in Guam; the effectiveness of a social network-based approach to reducing cancer risk; health information trends and needs in the Pacific among adults and youth; and breast cancer risk factors among Pacific Islander women. Approximately 30 papers have been published, and several new grants have been received as an outcome of this partnership. Since 2003, a growing number of Pacific Island graduate students have received education and training in cancer health disparities research at the University of Guam (UOG) and University of Hawaii Cancer Center (UHCC). Over the past four years, UOG has developed with U54 support a cancer health disparities curriculum unique to the Pacific region, now permanently sustained by UOG. Multiple masters degree students at UOG have received support from the U54, and two UOG graduates are enrolled in doctoral programs at US mainland institutions. Two PhD students and one masters degree student at UHCC are currently receiving U54 support, and one U54-supported masters degree student recently graduated from UH. In addition, mentorship and career development is provided to early career faculty/investigators at UOG. In conclusion, our partnership has significantly increased over the past decade the research capacity at UOG and cultivated interest in cancer research among minority students attending the partner institutions. Outreach has resulted in model tobacco control policy in Guam, including new tobacco taxes that provide funds to support the Guam Cancer Registry and a Guam Cancer Trust Fund. A regional research infrastructure has been established and resources have been leveraged to address Pacific Islander cancer health disparities in Guam, Hawaii, and the USAPI. Supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers U54CA143727 and U54CA143728.

Citation Format: Hali R. Robinett, Helen J.D. Whippy, John A. Peterson, Rachael T. Leon Guerrero, Robert A. Underwood, Neal A. Palafox, David C. Ward, Carl-Wilhelm Vogel. University of Guam/University of Hawaii Cancer Center Partnership: Celebrating 10 years of research, training, education, and outreach to reduce cancer health disparities among Pacific Islanders. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A82. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-A82