bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract B043: Challenges in managing cancer patients with congenital coronary artery anomalies: A case report
Authors: Khan Aliya M. , Urisote Sophia Navajas , Sheikh Danish A.
Published: December 2023

Introduction: Congenital coronary artery anomalies are rare cardiac abnormalities that can increase the risk of sudden cardiac death, particularly during exercise. Patients with cancer and concurrent coronary artery disease face higher mortality risks, as they often receive delayed percutaneous coronary intervention. Additionally, anthracycline chemotherapy, commonly used in cancer treatment, can cause cardiotoxicity and worsen pre-existing cardiac abnormalities. Despite the complexity of managing cancer patients with coronary artery anomalies, there is a lack of clear guidelines and consensus on optimal approaches. This report presents a unique case of a patient with a malignant inter-arterial course of the right coronary artery and newly diagnosed Human T-lymphotropic virus type I-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, discussing the challenges and implications of chemotherapy in such cases. Case Presentation: A 38-year-old male presented with weakness and palpitations, exhibiting abnormal laboratory findings. CT angiography revealed a malignant inter-arterial course of the right coronary artery with severe narrowing. Electrocardiograms showed ST elevations and subsequent T-wave inversions. Despite the increased risk of cardiomyopathy due to the coronary anomaly, the patient required chemotherapy for life-threatening tumor lysis syndrome and refractory lactic acidosis. Anthracycline-based chemotherapy was initiated, and a follow-up echocardiogram after six months showed no acute changes. Conclusion: Managing cancer patients receiving anthracycline chemotherapy remains challenging due to limited guidelines. Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is a concern, especially in patients with pre-existing cardiac anomalies like the malignant inter-arterial course of the right coronary artery. This case emphasizes the importance of recognizing and managing such anomalies in cancer patients to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death. The higher mortality risk in cancer patients with coronary artery disease highlights the need for guidelines in managing anomalous coronary vessels in cancer patients. Further research is necessary to develop evidence-based strategies for managing cardiac complications in cancer patients, particularly those with pre-existing cardiac anomalies.

Citation Format: Aliya M. Khan, Sophia Navajas Urisote, Danish A. Sheikh. Challenges in managing cancer patients with congenital coronary artery anomalies: A case report [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B043.
Abstract B050: Effectiveness of biologic agents among Hispanic patients with metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: Patel Riya , Negassa Abdissa , Tolu Seda , Acuna-Villaorduna Ana , Goel Sanjay
Published: December 2023

Background: Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the survival benefit provided by the addition of biologic drugs to chemotherapy (biochemotherapy) inpatients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, Hispanic patients are underrepresented in trial populations with limited data on treatment efficacy in them. We aim to ascertain effectiveness of biochemotherapy among Hispanic population in the US with mCRC using a comparitive effectiveness approach. Methods: This study includes two cohorts of patients: (a) age > 65 years mCRCdiagnosed from 2004 to 2011 who had received at least 1 dose of chemotherapyand had complete Medicare claims data using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, andEnd Result (SEER)–Medicare linked database, and (b) local Hispanic population from two hospitals in Bronx, New York, from 2006- 2020. Patient data were classified according to whether they received chemotherapy (oxaliplatin, irinotecan,and 5-fluorouracil or capecitabine) or biochemotherapy (bevacizumab, cetuximab,panitumumab, ramucirumab, or aflibercept, started within 3 months ofchemotherapy). Overall survival (OS) was defined as the time from starting chemotherapy to death or last follow-up. A weighted Cox regression model was used to assess differences in survival. Results: A total of 182 patients with mCRC were identified. Fifty one (28%) received chemotherapy and 131 (72%) received biochemotherapy. Median age was 69 and 68 years, respectively. There were no differences based on median income, marital status, primary site or sidedness, tumor differentiation grades or Charlson Comorbidity Score between both groups. Among patients who received only chemotherapy, 9% received second or greater lines of chemotherapy when compared to 51% in the biochemotherapy group (p < 0.001). The median overall survival was 11.3 (95% CI:6.3 - 19.4) months (mo) and 17 ( 95% CI: 13.0 -25.8) mo, respectively. Biochemotherapy conferred an OS benefit of 39% with average HR = 0.61 (0.40-0.94; p = 0.047). This was 45% in the first two years (HR 0.55). Beyond 2 years, there was an apparent reversal with HR 1.7, suggesting 70% deteriment in OS. Conclusions: In this comparative effectiveness study of a cohort of Medicare recipients and the Bronx population, with mCRC, biochemotherapy was associated with an improvement in OS, especially in the first 2 years.  Disclosure: Funded by R21: 1R21AG058027-01 to Sanjay Goel and Abdissa Negassa

Citation Format: Riya Patel, Abdissa Negassa, Seda Tolu, Ana Acuna-Villaorduna, Sanjay Goel. Effectiveness of biologic agents among Hispanic patients with metastatic colorectal cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B050.
Abstract B056: Inflammatory dietary pattern and risk of multiple myeloma in US Black women
Authors: Patel Anisha V. , Palmer Julie R. , Petrick Jessica L. , Bertrand Kimberly A.
Published: December 2023

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) takes a disproportionate toll on Black Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites, yet factors related to these disparities remain poorly understood. In a prior analysis of two prospective cohort studies examining diet and MM, a dietary inflammatory pattern was significantly associated with MM risk. Here, we investigate the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) score and MM incidence in a cohort of US Black women. Methods: The Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS) is a prospective cohort study that enrolled 59,000 US self-identified Black women age 21-69 at entry in 1995. Incident cases of MM, identified among BWHS participants followed by biennial questionnaires, were confirmed via medical record review or linkage with cancer registries. We analyzed food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data collected in 1995, excluding participants with implausible or missing FFQ data. We also excluded women diagnosed with cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) prior to baseline. FFQ data were used to create a dietary inflammatory index (DII) for each person. The DII score includes total fat and cholesterol as pro-inflammatory dietary contributors, and n-3 PUFAs, selenium, and vitamin D as anti-inflammatory contributors. The DII has been previously associated with six inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-1b, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-a). We evaluated associations of DII score quintile with MM incidence using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), and total energy intake (kcal/day). Results: Among 55,276 BWHS participants eligible for this analysis, we confirmed 313 incident cases of MM over 26 years of follow-up. Median age at baseline was 38 years old and median BMI was 26.6 kg/m2. The multivariable hazard ratio for women in the top quintile of DII (most pro-inflammatory diet) relative to the lowest quintile (most anti-inflammatory diet) was 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.43, 1.16). Conclusions: Overall, DII score was not associated with MM incidence in this cohort of US Black women. Ongoing analyses of markers of dietary inflammation and specific food groups may clarify the possible role of dietary components in MM pathogenesis. Cumulative time-varying models of DII score may also offer more robust conclusions in future analyses. 

Citation Format: Anisha V. Patel, Julie R. Palmer, Jessica L. Petrick, Kimberly A. Bertrand. Inflammatory dietary pattern and risk of multiple myeloma in US Black women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B056.
Abstract B062: Prevalence of pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants among Latinas in the All of Us Cohort
Authors: Samayoa Cathy , Olivares Erick , Gavile Catherine , Visbal Adriana
Published: December 2023

Latinas in the United States are disproportionately affected by breast cancer, but little is known about genetic risk factors for breast cancer in this population. Genetic variants in BReast CAncer genes 1 and 2  (BRCA1/2) are known to be associated with heritable cancer risk, yet the prevalence of BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants in the Latina population is not well characterized. This study aims to examine the prevalence of pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants among Latinas in the NIH All of Us research program, which includes a large number of individuals representative of the diversity of the United States population. Using data from the All of Us research program, we will analyze the prevalence of these variants among Latinas, in addition to all other racial and ethnic groups. To date, the All of Us cohort contains 245,400 genomes, and of those 41,940 (17%) are from self-identified Hispanic/Latino/or Spanish participants. We will compare the prevalence of pathogenic, or likely pathogenic, variants across self-reported race/ethnicity and continental genetic ancestry categories. Our study will leverage the diversity of All of Us and enable us to compare our data with those from more Eurocentric databases. With these data, we can potentially 1) identify novel variants that could predispose to increased cancer risk; and 2) clarify the previous designations of variants characterized to have undetermined/unknown significance due to the limitations of using a single Eurocentric reference genome. Identifying the actual prevalence of pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants among Latinas is important for improving breast cancer prevention, detection, and treatment in this population. The findings of this study have the potential to inform genetic counseling and testing recommendations for Latina patients at high risk of developing breast cancer, as well as others. This will also enable healthcare providers to better understand the unique genetic factors contributing to breast cancer risk among this population. Ultimately, this knowledge can improve the care of Latina patients and contribute to the broader effort to advance health equity and reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes among Latinas.  

Citation Format: Cathy Samayoa, Erick Olivares, Catherine Gavile, Adriana Visbal. Prevalence of pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants among Latinas in the All of Us Cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B062.
Abstract B069: Lung cancer risk in women and racial minorities and genetic variants of UGT genes
Authors: Gallagher James W. , Vicks Talayshia , Gallagher Carla J.
Published: December 2023

The major research focus of this project is the identification of genetic variants involved in disparities in carcinogen metabolism and risk for cancer. Specifically, this research focuses on the identification of genetic variants in carcinogen metabolism genes, that increase lung cancer risk, particularity when the risk differs between men and women or by racial groups. Although cigarette smoking causes the vast majority of lung cancers, most lifetime smokers do not develop this disease. Many studies suggest that women have greater susceptibility than men for lung cancer, and that risk varies by racial groups. Genetic variation in tobacco carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes could give details as to why only some smokers develop lung cancer and why women or certain racial groups may be at a greater risk. Genetic changes have been shown to vary significantly between individuals of different races, which could contribute to racial disparities in cancer risk. Uridine glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) genes detoxify many carcinogens found in tobacco, so variants in UGT genes could explain differences in lung cancer risk among smokers. Many genetic association studies of UGT genes and lung cancer risk have been performed to identify alleles (SNPs and Copy Number Variants) in UGT genes that increase risk for lung cancer, and to determine if some variants display a gender or racial-specific association with this cancer. cBioPortal provides gene-based visualizations and analyses, so that users can find altered genes and/or networks within a study of interest or across all cancer studies. cBioPortal is a web application platform that facilitates data exploration and analysis through the use of a variety of visualization and analytical tools using populations of cancer cases and controls. cBioPortal has been utilized in this study to visualize variations in UGT genes across many lung cancer data sets. A copy number variant that deletes the entire UGT2B17 gene (which metabolizes the lung cancer carcinogen, NNAL) is a particular focus in this study using data from cBioPortal, as well as common copy number alterations (amplifications) in UGT3A1 and UGT3A2.

Citation Format: James W. Gallagher, Talayshia Vicks, Carla J. Gallagher. Lung cancer risk in women and racial minorities and genetic variants of UGT genes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B069.
Abstract B096: Cigarette smoking and prostate cancer aggressiveness among African and European American men
Authors: Ellis Edgar T. , Fairman Brian J. , Stahr Shelbie D. , Su L. Joseph , Hsu Ping-Ching
Published: December 2023

Background: Smoking is a modifiable lifestyle factor linked to prostate cancer (PCa) risk, but its association with PCa aggressiveness is unclear. Further, African-American men are likelier to smoke and be at risk for PCa. Therefore, we examined racial disparities in the association between cigarette smoking and PCa aggressiveness. Methods: Data for this study came from the North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer Project, a registry-based cohort study of incident PCa cases from 2004-2009 (n = 1,457). We defined PCa aggressiveness as high (Gleason score ≥ 8, Gleason score = 7 and TNM T3-T4, or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score > 20 ng/mL) or low (Gleason score < 7, TNM T1-T2, and PSA < 10 ng/mL). We classified cigarette smoking as current, former, or never. Our analyses used multivariable logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: One-third (35%) of PCa cases were high-aggressive. Half (48%) of the study sample was African-American. Current smoking, but not former smoking, was associated with high-aggressive PCa compared to never (OR = 2.2; 95% CI [1.5, 3.3]). African-Americans who currently smoked had higher odds of high-aggressive PCa than those who never smoked (OR = 3.2; 95% CI [1.9, 5.4]), as did those who formerly smoked (OR = 1.8; 95% CI [1.2, 2.3]). However, smoking did not significantly predict PCa aggressiveness in European-Americans. Conclusion: Cigarette smoking is associated with PCa aggressiveness, an association moderated by race. Future research should investigate the biological and social effects of smoking and PCa aggressiveness between racial groups. 

Citation Format: Edgar T. Ellis, Brian J. Fairman, Shelbie D. Stahr, L. Joseph Su, Ping-Ching Hsu. Cigarette smoking and prostate cancer aggressiveness among African and European American men [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B096.
Abstract B109: Guidelines from the PRIMED Consortium on the use of population descriptors in polygenic risk model development and application
Authors: Kraft Peter , Konigsberg Iain , Gogarten Stephanie
Published: December 2023

Whether and how to use descriptors such as race, ethnicity, and ancestry in genomic research and clinical risk models is an ongoing and evolving topic of debate, because how we refer to populations and individuals can have known and unforeseen consequences, including detrimental scientific, clinical, social, and ethical impacts. Clinical risk models incorporating polygenic risk scores (PRS) may perform differently for individuals from populations different from those used in training and validation; in particular, the correlation between polygenic predictions and predicted traits often decrease as a function of genetic distance between training and target samples. Thus, describing the populations used to develop risk models and the populations where they will be applied is essential to evaluate clinical validity and utility. Previous work has often used race, ethnicity or continental ancestry (inferred from self-report and/or genetic data) to describe training samples and target populations, but such labels run the risk of reinforcing biological determinist views of race and may not capture important aspects of the population that can affect polygenic model performance, such as region and socioeconomic status. Population descriptors may also be directly included in clinical risk models. The Polygenic RIsk MEthods in Diverse Populations (PRIMED) Consortium covened a multidisciplinary Population Descriptors Working Group to propose guidelines on conceptualizing, applying and communicating population descriptor information in the context of PRS development and application. These guidelines emphasize the importance of matching the chosen descriptors to the scientific and clinical goal; transparency; and engaging affected communities and subject matter experts to ensure that adequate considerations are given to ethical, legal, and social implications of their research and its communication. We present these guidelines and an accompanying data model designed to support transparency and flexibility.  

Citation Format: Peter Kraft, Iain Konigsberg, Stephanie Gogarten. Guidelines from the PRIMED Consortium on the use of population descriptors in polygenic risk model development and application [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B109.
Abstract C015: Bridging the gap: A literature review of cancer mortality and incarcerated individuals
Authors: Isaacs Tamia , Oladeru Oluwadamilola , Li Jian , Iwai Yoshiko
Published: December 2023

There is a large and increasing rate of incarcerated individuals that face a risk of cancer. Cancer is the leading cause of death among the incarcerated population, resulting in a significantly shortened survival rate amongst said population. Very few studies have been conducted to truly assess the knowledge gap between incarceration and cancer outcomes. But, from the few that have been done, like the population-based study done by UF Radiation Oncology assistant professor, Dr. Oladeru, it was discovered that a higher risk of cancer mortality was prevalent in those who were diagnosed with cancer during their time incarcerated as well as one year post release than the general population. My goal and intent with this literature review is to open the conversation about possible ways to bridge the knowledge gap between cancer health disparities amongst incarcerated patients and contribution factors.

Citation Format: Tamia Isaacs, Oluwadamilola Oladeru, Jian Li, Yoshiko Iwai. Bridging the gap: A literature review of cancer mortality and incarcerated individuals [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C015.
Abstract C070: BACH1 regulates the hypoxia response and metastasis in triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Nguyen Long C. , Dann Christopher , Yang Dongbo , Shi Emily , Li Thomas , Stock Leticia , Henn Madeline , Khramtsova Galina , Liu Wenchao , Matsumoto Mitsuyo , Olopade Olufunmilayo , Igarashi Kazuhiko , Rosner Marsha
Published: December 2023

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, is more prevalent among African American and underserved female populations. Hypoxia has recently been identified as one of the main drivers of TNBC, particularly within the African American cohort.  Therefore, it is important to identify and target key regulators of hypoxia. Here we show that the pro-metastatic transcription factor BACH1 is induced by hypoxia and regulates the hypoxia response in TNBC tumor cells.  BACH1 protein is destabilized via an oxygen-dependent prolyl-hydroxylation pathway, akin to Hypoxia-inducible Factors (HIFs). BACH1 mutants (BACH1M) resistant to hydroxylation exhibit heightened transcriptional activity and metastatic potential both in vitro and in vivo. TGCA analysis reveals that TNBC exhibits elevated BACH1 mRNA and hypoxia signature, irrespective of racial ancestry. Nevertheless, racial disparities in BACH1 mRNA expression exist across all breast cancer subtypes (Basal, Her, LumA, LumB). Our findings suggest that BACH1 is an oxygen-sensitive mediator of hypoxia and a promising therapeutic target for mitigating hypoxia-induced pro-metastatic signaling and treatment resistance. These results also highlight the necessity of accounting for racial differences in BACH1 expression and function as a means of developing targeted therapy that takes into account racial disparities in TNBC.

Citation Format: Long C. Nguyen, Christopher Dann, Dongbo Yang, Emily Shi, Thomas Li, Leticia Stock, Madeline Henn, Galina Khramtsova, Wenchao Liu, Mitsuyo Matsumoto, Olufunmilayo Olopade, Kazuhiko Igarashi, Marsha Rosner. BACH1 regulates the hypoxia response and metastasis in triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C070.
Abstract C090: High GLUT1 membrane expression and low PSMA membrane expression in ductal adenocarcinoma and intraductal carcinoma of the prostate
Authors: Wang Xingming , Gao Xiaomei , Qi Lin , Zhang Ye , Yin Hongling , Gan Yu , Cai Yi
Published: December 2023

Background: Both Ductal Adenocarcinoma (DAC) and Intraductal Carcinoma (IDC) of the prostate are generally associated with aggressive clinical behavior and poor prognosis and can be lethal. Furthermore, previous studies linked aggressive clinical behavior and poor prognosis with discordant FDG positivity and low Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression. A recent study only cited a DAC patient with low 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT uptake but high 18F-FDG PET/CT uptake, however, there is lack of directly compared articles nor large data sets. IDC-P has similar cribriform pattern in the pathological structure as a mean differential diagnosis for DAC. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the expression of PSMA and GLUT1 in DAC and IDC-P patients. Methods: The study was conducted on 87 DAC or IDCP patients without any treatment and 97 PAC patients with a Gleason score ≥ 8 of prostate biopsies and prostatectomy samples between August 2017 and August 2022. We performed immunohistochemical staining and scoring of various cancer component samples from the patients to reflect the protein expression levels of PSMA and GLUT1. Results: PSMA expression in PAC tissues was significantly higher than in DAC/IDC-P tissues (141.2 vs 78.6, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in PSMA membrane expression between DAC/IDC-P and adjacent acinar adenocarcinoma (78.6 vs 93.4, p = 0.166). GLUT1 expression was higher in DAC/IDC-P tissue than in acinar adenocarcinoma tissue adjacent to DAC/IDC-P (68.6 vs 51.3, p = 0.007), but was still lower than that in PAC tissue (68.6 vs 93.1, p = 0.0014). It is worth noting that GLUT1 membrane expression in DAC/IDC-P was significantly increased than in PAC (13.0 vs 6.6, p = 0.025), and in acinar adenocarcinoma adjacent to DAC/IDC-P (13.0 vs 2.0, p < 0.001). Conclusions: In DAC and IDC-P tissues, PSMA membrane expression is low, while GLUT1 expression, especially GLUT1 membrane expression is high. These findings imply that DAC and IDC-P cells may have higher glucose metabolic and raise interest in targeting membrane GLUT1 as a novel anticancer strategy for DAC/IDC-P and other prostate cancer with high glucose metabolism.

Citation Format: Xingming Wang, Xiaomei Gao, Lin Qi, Ye Zhang, Hongling Yin, Yu Gan, Yi Cai. High GLUT1 membrane expression and low PSMA membrane expression in ductal adenocarcinoma and intraductal carcinoma  of the prostate [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C090.
Abstract C103: Non-enzymatic glycoxidation reports on society, environment and biology to inform on enduring cancer disparities
Authors: Turner David P.
Published: December 2023

Disparities in overall cancer outcomes have been reduced across racial and ethnic divides, but still persist for some tumor types and have increased for others. This has stimulated significant debate regarding whether the enduring nature of cancer disparities arises solely out of inherent failings in addressing health inequities, or does an individual’s inherent biology also play an accompanying role. As a newly termed “bio-social determinant of health”, non-enzymatic glycoxidation profiles may represent an unexploited opportunity to consider how health inequity constructs combine to impact cancer outcomes across transdisciplinary studies. Resulting from the combined processes of glycation and oxidation, non-enzymatic glycoxidation is a complex series of reactions, leading to the irreversible posttranslational modification of peptides, lipids and nucleic acids by Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). Evidence is presented to support that health inequity constructs can serve to provide a superfluous source of the reactive substrates that sustains non-enzymatic glycoxidation resulting in a chronic cycle of AGE formation, bioavailability, and pathogenicity. AGEs are significant because: 1. Communities who bear the highest cancer burden are more likely to be exposed to health inequity risk factors that serve to increase AGE bioavailability 2. When health equity is compromised complex relationships are created between social and biological determinates of health that serve to overwhelm the fragile rheostat that maintains AGE homeostasis.; and 3. Increases in AGE bioavailability are associated with increased tumor growth and progression through their impact on the tumor microenvironment. Glycoxidation patterns visualized by AGE accumulation and pathogenic function may serve as a “bio-social determinant of health” as they may reflect the dynamic and varied nature of multiple health inequity constructs and their combined effects on cancer incidence and mortality. In turn this may allow a greater understanding of the complex relationships that exist between societal, ancestral, environmental, and biological constructs, and lifestyle associated risk factors associated with enduring cancer disparities.  This would provide significant insight on novel cancer prevention and control strategies aimed at reducing AGE exposure due to health inequity.

Citation Format: David P. Turner. Non-enzymatic glycoxidation reports on society, environment and biology to inform on enduring cancer disparities [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C103.
Abstract C114: Indigenizing and ruralizing NCI’s Screen to Save Program: Resources, Optimizing Outreach, Teaching, Science (ROOTS)
Authors: Haring Rodney C. , Maybee William , Raphaelito Josie , Abrams Corrine
Published: December 2023

Resources, Optimizing Outreach, Teaching and Science (ROOTS) for Indigenous populations was a virtually adapted colorectal screening program to decrease cancer health disparities while increasing knowledge about culturally tailored screening processes. Indigenous and rural community outreach teams partnered with a community advisory board to provide an Indigenized/ruralized version of the NCI Screen to Save (S2S) program delivered to both Indigenous rural/sub-urban communities. 169 pre/post surveys were obtained from 82 participants. Findings demonstrated participants were able to identify smoking, tobacco use, and lack of physical activity as risk factors for colorectal cancer. Post intervention, participants were more likely to get screened for colorectal cancer and talk with family friends about their colorectal cancer screening experience increase physical activity. Additional adaptions were investigated for Two-Spirit and Native American lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual urban populations (n=6 virtual roundtables; n=14 participants). Findings from the overall ROOTS program suggested culturally tailored intervention messaging are an important means for increasing screening and decreasing cancer health disparities among both Indigenous and rural populations. Primary results from Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ adaption included understanding past mindsets and experiences of healthcare professionals; a need for continued lay translations, importance of community marketing beyond health centers; and more information on follow up details including central contact information.

Citation Format: Rodney C. Haring, William Maybee, Josie Raphaelito, Corrine Abrams. Indigenizing and ruralizing NCI’s Screen to Save Program: Resources, Optimizing Outreach, Teaching, Science (ROOTS) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C114.
Abstract C141: From insights to action: Engaging women living with HIV in the data-driven development of an mHealth intervention for cervical cancer prevention and HPV self-sampling
Authors: Le Daisy , Ciceron Annie Coriolan , Jeon Min (Jaime) Jeong , Abroms Lorien C. , Berg Carla J.
Published: December 2023

Background: Women living with HIV (WLH) face a higher risk of invasive cervical cancer (CC) due to a greater incidence and longer persistence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Health education programs, including text-messaging interventions, have demonstrated effectiveness in improving CC and HPV knowledge and promoting recommended screening. Emerging strategies involving self-collected cervicovaginal samples as an alternative to office-based HPV screening offer additional promise in reaching women who face several obstacles to timely care, such as WLH. Purpose: This mixed-methods study aims to describe the data-driven development of a four-week text-messaging intervention, named “My Self-Sampling, HPV Awareness, Results, and Empowerment (MySHARE)”, to improve CC prevention knowledge and promote HPV self-sampling among WLH. Methods: Surveys (n=81) and focus group discussions (FGDs; n=39) were conducted among WLH in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan region, with the findings guiding the development of MySHARE. Results: While most WLH indicated that in-person group sessions were their typical source of health information, they highlighted the impracticality of these sessions since the pandemic and expressed openness to a text-messaging intervention. Survey results informed the logistical aspects and functionality of the intervention, while FGD participants' responses, guided by constructs from the Protection Motivation Theory, shaped the content of the text-messaging library. The library covered topics such as CC and HPV knowledge, prevention behaviors, and HPV self-sampling. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the significance of engaging the target population in intervention development. WLH participants provided clear and actionable recommendations, which, together with best practices in digital health technology, directed decisions on the intervention delivery platform, messaging timing and frequency, and text-messaging content. Low-cost and accessible interventions like MySHARE have the potential to substantially enhance CC and HPV knowledge, as well as screening rates, among historically underserved populations, particularly during public health crises.

Citation Format: Daisy Le, Annie Coriolan Ciceron, Min (Jaime) Jeong Jeon, Lorien C. Abroms, Carla J. Berg. From insights to action: Engaging women living with HIV in the data-driven development of an mHealth intervention for cervical cancer prevention and HPV self-sampling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C141.
Abstract IA010: American Indian community engagement in culturally respectful cancer interventions
Authors: Burhansstipanov Linda
Published: December 2023

This 10-minute session begins with a brief overview of strengths within American Indian communities. Cultural perceptions of research are summarized followed by a list of unsuccessful recruitment strategies. Missed opportunities for the inclusion of sufficient numbers of American Indians in national clinical trials will be reviewed. An overview of American Indians’ desire for inclusion in respectful clinical trials research will include an excerpt from Clinical Trials for Native Americans:  A Gift for our Children. Healthcare Providers impact on inclusion of underserved populations will be summarized followed by a synopsis based on involvement of competency trained Native Patient Navigators to assist with CT recruitment. Some annoyances practiced by research institutions that negatively impact involvement of American Indian communities will be shared followed by recommendations for increasing engagements. The segment will close with a summary of significant gaps in American Indian cancer research programs.

Citation Format: Linda Burhansstipanov. American Indian community engagement in culturally respectful cancer interventions [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr IA010.
Abstract IA031: Equitable access to clinical trials: The role of community healthcare systems
Authors: Osarogiagbon Ray U.
Published: December 2023

Approximately 85% of US cancer care is delivered in community healthcare systems, most of which have no formal affiliation with academic programs and do not identify the research mission as a core responsibility. Therefore, most community-based cancer programs are research deserts. Yet there is strong evidence to support the oft-cited statement: 'the best treatment is a clinical trial.' In this age of rapid-fire discovery and clinical trials driven by deep knowledge of cancer biology and drug chemistry, coupled with close regulatory oversight, clinical trials carry much smaller risk for participants than ever before. In the end, clinical trials provide access to tomorrow's treatment, today.  The socio-ecological model of healthcare recognizes that most problems and solutions reside at the levels of the individual, clinician, organization and social policy. As the number of actors sequentially diminishes from the individual to the social policy levels, the potential enduring impact of interventions sequentially rises. Interventions directly targeting the individual level are least efficient, those that target key social policies have the greatest enduring impact. So with the wicked challenge of inequitable clinical trials access. We will focus on the institutional level in my solutions-oriented discussion of equitable access to clinical trials. Using the NCI's Minority-Underserved NCORP progam and the Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation as living examples, we will review intervention frameworks, objectively analyze the barriers to clinical trials access, and provide a pragmatic discussion of stakeholder-centered approaches to building clincial trials infrastructure in the places where people routinely seek care. We propose approaches to integrate clincal research as a core component of cancer care delivery in community healthcare systems and make the case that key external stakeholders, including patient advocacy groups, sponsors of research and healthcare policymakers must meet the target population where they reside. That connection can only happen by building clinical trials infrastructure and manpower within community healthcare systems. 

Citation Format: Ray U. Osarogiagbon. Equitable access to clinical trials: The role of community healthcare systems [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr IA031.
Abstract IA045: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and treatment in South Texas US-Mexico border persistent poverty counties
Authors: Flores Bertha E. , Guerrero Juan , Bobadilla Raudel , Craven Catherine K.
Published: December 2023

Background: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a major risk factor for Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), early screening of HCV is essential for the prevention of HCC. Other risk factors for cancer are those associated with poverty including low socioeconomic status and lack of access to health care. These risk factors are prominent among hispanic populations who have higher rates of liver cancer. In 2021, Hispanic liver cancer (incidence and mortality) was almost doubled as compared to non-Hispanic whtes. In Texas, the incidence of liver cancer is higher for Hispanics and particularly for those living in South Texas. Methods: We implemented an multi-component intervention (STOP-HCC-HCV) to increase access to HCV screening and treatment in two clinic systems predominantly serving low-income Hispanic ommunities in three South Texas persistent poverty counties. We used a Hybrid type 1 implementation effectiveness study design to evaluate the program's impact using both qualitative and quantitative data. Results: Using the RE-AIM framework, we increased HCV screening rates from 10% in 2021, to 78% in 2023 among adults 18-56 years of age. We successfully naviagted  uninsured patients to treatment and cure and have 100% success rate for ordering Direct Acting Antivirals. Conclusion: Using a multi-component intervention, and decreasing barriers to healthcare increased HCV screening and treatment to ultimetly decrease cancer health disparities among vulnerable populations living in persistent poverty counties.

Citation Format: Bertha E. Flores, Juan Guerrero, Raudel Bobadilla, Catherine K. Craven. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and treatment in South Texas US-Mexico border persistent poverty counties [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr IA045.
Treatment of Cervical Precancers is the Major Remaining Challenge in Cervical Screening Research
Authors: Desai Kanan T. , de Sanjosé Silvia , Schiffman Mark
Published: December 2023

Deepening understanding of cervical cancer pathogenesis has yielded one-dose prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and accurate HPV-based cervical screening tests. Knowing the heterogeneous carcinogenic potential of the individual high-risk HPV types permits prioritization of vaccination and screening strategies. However, “correct” (i.e., safe and effective) treatment of women found to have precancer is still undefined, forcing reliance on one or more rounds of untargeted destructive/excisional treatment. Both over-treatment and under-treatment are common results. Until safe and effective anti-HPV therapies are invented, defining optimal destructive/excisional treatment of precancer remains a fundamental and under-researched challenge, especially in resource-constrained settings.

See related article by King et al., p. 681
Abstract A017: Exploring the interplay between macrophage subtypes and colorectal cancer cell growth
Authors: Chiang Chun-Te , Hixon Danielle , Mooradian Nevart , Kshetri Pratiksha , Valena Scott , Lau Roy , Ambrose Charlie , Doche Michael , Hill Reginald , Mumenthaler Shannon M.
Published: December 2023

Tumor-associated macrophages, a major stromal component within the tumor microenvironment (TME), play diverse roles in tumor progression and response to therapy. Although their tumor infiltration is linked to unfavorable prognoses in various cancer types, their specific involvement in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a subject of debate. Within the TME, macrophages can adopt pro-inflammatory (M1) or immune-suppressive (M2) phenotypes in response to signals. In this study, we aimed to investigate the intricate interplay between CRC cells and macrophages under different tumor microenvironmental stresses, shedding light on the impact of macrophage phenotype and function on tumor cell behavior. We characterized signaling pathways and macrophage markers in the THP-1 monocytic cell line, differentiating THP-1 cells into M0 macrophages and polarizing them into M1 and M2 phenotypes using distinct inducers, LPS+IFNγ or IL4+IL13, respectively. Treatment with M1 and M2 inducers resulted in the induction of p-STAT1 and p-STAT6 signaling, as well as metabolic markers like IDO and TGM2, respectively, in THP-1 cells. Subsequently, we collected conditioned media (CM) from M0, M1, and M2 macrophages and assessed their impact on colon cancer cell proliferation. Consistent with previous studies, M1 CM demonstrated a suppressive effect on the growth of several CRC cell lines, whereas M0 or M2 CM did not elicit a change. Interestingly, we found a few CRC lines where the M1 CM did not reduce cell growth, suggesting that the response to M1 macrophages may be influenced by tumor cell-intrinsic factors. To gain further insights, a high-content imaging-based workflow was utilized for physical co-cultures of macrophage subtypes and CRC cells. Furthermore, we validated our findings using patient-derived tumor organoids to examine the interaction between macrophages and CRC in a more physiologically relevant context. Overall, our systematic exploration provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between macrophage subtypes and the progression of colon cancer. It emphasizes the influence of the tumor immune microenvironment on cancer cell behavior across diverse intrinsic cellular factors.

Citation Format: Chun-Te Chiang, Danielle Hixon, Nevart Mooradian, Pratiksha Kshetri, Scott Valena, Roy Lau, Charlie Ambrose, Michael Doche, Reginald Hill, Shannon M. Mumenthaler. Exploring the interplay between macrophage subtypes and colorectal cancer cell growth [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2023 Oct 1-4; Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2023;11(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A017.
Abstract A023: Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is required for trained macrophage-mediated antitumor immunity
Authors: Jin Huan , Liu Yongxiang , Xia Xiaojun
Published: December 2023

Trained immunity or innate immune memory plays an active role in suppressing tumour growth and metastasis, however the specific metabolic mechanisms underlying such memory response-mediated antitumor activity have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that the Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase/Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAMPT/NAD+) axis is required for the establishment of immune memory in macrophages against tumour. Chemical inhibition or genetic knockout of NAMPT in macrophages blocked trained immunity in vitro and in vivo, which could be rescued by NMN, an NAD+ precursor and a direct metabolite of NAMPT. Further studies revealed that myeloid-specific knockout of Nampt in mice significantly impaired the antitumor effect induced by in vivo β-glucan training, accompanied with decreased infiltration of intratumoral M1 macrophages. Interestingly, NAMPT deficiency did not impair β-glucan-induced interferon signalling or Akt/mTOR/HIF-1α signalling pathway, but markedly reduced histone methylation and acetylation levels, suggesting that NAMPT/NAD+ axis regulates trained immunity in macrophages via potential epigenetic mechanisms. Collectively, our study identifies that NAMPT/NAD+ metabolic axis-regulated trained immunity is a critical mechanism in early immune surveillance that suppresses tumour development via epigenetic regulation.

Citation Format: Huan Jin, Yongxiang Liu, Xiaojun Xia. Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is required for trained macrophage-mediated antitumor immunity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2023 Oct 1-4; Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2023;11(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A023.