CU Cancer Center Leaders Contribute to New American Association for Cancer Research Report on Health Equity

Jamie L. StutzPh.D., Co-Leader University of Colorado Cancer Center's Cancer prevention and control programhas devoted much of his research career to studying inequalities in lung cancer risk factors, screening, treatment, and survival.

That's why the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) sought out Stats' expertise when preparing its 2024 report. AACR Cancer Disparities Progress ReportThe biennial publication highlights research-driven progress toward health equity and makes a powerful call to action, including recommendations to address ongoing disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes. The latest edition of the report was released May 15.

“While much of the organization of the research was done at AACR, I was asked to be part of a committee that provided literature and ideas that might have been omitted,” Stutz says. “Although the content related to our area of ​​expertise was repeated many times, we were always available to provide input on all aspects of the report. We had the opportunity to restructure and improve.”

digging into the disparities

The Cancer Disparities Progress Report examines the state of cancer disparities in the United States in 2024, and the summary states that, “In recent decades, disparities in the burden of certain types of cancer have increased by racial and decreased among people from ethnic minorities. “However, despite these advances, significant disparities in the burden of cancer remain, and cancer care stakeholders are working together to understand and reduce cancer disparities.”

The main points of the report are that the incidence and mortality of infectious diseases are stomach and liver Cancer rates are significantly higher in American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Residents of rural counties are 38% more likely to be diagnosed with and die from lung cancer. And while transgender women have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer than cisgender men, they are almost twice as likely to die from prostate cancer.

“One area where we're seeing some pretty noticeable differences that are very discouraging is in sexual and sexual minority communities,” Stutz said. “There is much work to be done to achieve cultural and social equity in communities that are highly disenfranchised and have understandably complex relationships with the health care system.”

In fact, many AACR reports focus on how to expand community outreach to increase trust in health systems and how to create more effective pathways between communities and health care providers. Masu.

“This is about helping our institutions be more trustworthy by ensuring that individuals seek help to deal with their problems sooner rather than later,” Stutz said. “This is especially important for aggressive diseases like cancer. The earlier we can diagnose it, the more likely we are to treat it effectively. Resources, access, and how clinicians and systems treat it. If you're worried about something, you tend to wait until it becomes a more pressing issue.”

progress can be seen

Stutz points out that the report also contains some good news, and he says it's not all doom and gloom.

“There are regions where inequality is declining or even disappearing under certain conditions,” he said. “For example, this difference is lung cancer The mortality rate between white and black men dropped from a 30% difference to about 10%. Mortality rates for white men are declining, but mortality rates for black men are declining faster.

“There is no room for victory as disparities and inequalities remain prevalent and we have work to do to improve cancer research, treatment delivery and outcomes,” he added. I did. ”

The CU Cancer Center has many physicians, researchers and staff members who are working to reduce disparities in Colorado. Their work comes from the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement; of Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessthe Cancer Prevention and Control Program, and many other groups around the center.

solution oriented

In addition to detailing the disparities, the AACR report also calls for increased federal funding for medical research and public health efforts, increased federal investment in STEMM education programs, and expanded cancer prevention and screening efforts. , we also offer solutions, including continued efforts to ensure diverse representation in cancer-related research studies and clinical trials.

“The report also talks about how important it is to have a research workforce, clinical workforce, and supportive care workforce that is representative of our community,” Stutz says. “That's very important. It leads to a more effective understanding of the community based on personal experience.”

CU Cancer Center Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) We focus on training and education and focus on recruiting underrepresented populations.

create an impact

Now that the latest AACR disparities report is out, Stutz is looking forward to seeing the impact of its findings as they are disseminated.

“We want to create more dialogue around it, and we hope that it will have some impact on policy,” he says. “This report goes to Congress to remind us that policy matters and how policy votes matter in terms of our country's cancer burden. Whether it's how we allocate resources or research. , many things are on their minds as they make decisions that directly impact equity, whether it's clinical, policy, or access to medicines.