Adapting E-cigarette prevention programming to reach the latinx community.

PURPOSE: E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth in the United States. Yet evidence-based prevention programming is limited due to the rapid onset of this threat. Community-based efforts to address vaping largely target youth in school settings. Although parents can play an important role in youth tobacco control efforts, messages about the dangers of vaping, use among adolescents, and strategies for intervening have not reached many Spanish-speaking parents in low-income Latinx communities. Our community-academic team developed e-cigarette prevention programming for use by promotor/as de salud to address this unmet need. METHODS: During the 1-year project, the team worked closely with a Project Advisory Committee to: review existing evidence-informed materials; conduct focus groups with parents, youth and promotor/as to guide program development; develop a curriculum to prepare promotor/as to educate low-literacy, Spanish-speaking parents about vaping; craft Spanish language resources for promotor/as to use in community education sessions; train 61 promotor/as to deliver the program; and support program delivery to 657 community members. RESULTS: Focus groups with promotor/as and community members, key-informant interviews, and brief surveys informed program development and assessment. Community member feedback was essential to development of appropriate materials. Promotor/as demonstrated significant pre- to post- training increases in e-cigarette knowledge and confidence in delivering vaping prevention education. Community members demonstrated a mastery of basic e-cigarette concepts and expressed intention to discuss vaping with their children. CONCLUSIONS: Promotor/a-led programming for parents represents a promising approach to vaping prevention and control in the Latinx community.

Impact of management guidelines for abnormal cervical cytology on colposcopy procedure rates among young women.

OBJECTIVE: In 2012, updated ASCCP management guidelines for abnormal cervical cytology recommended observation rather than immediate referral to colposcopy for low-grade abnormalities in women ages 21-24. We evaluated the impact of these guidelines on changes in colposcopy procedure rates among young women. METHODS: We analyzed administrative and claims data from the largest statewide family planning program between July 2011 and June 2015. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we estimated changes in colposcopy procedure rates among women ages 21-24 years before and after the 2012 ASCCP management guidelines, relative to a comparison group of women ages 25-44. RESULTS: Our analysis included 333,977 women from 216 primary care provider sites. After publication of the 2012 ASCCP management guidelines, colposcopy rates significantly declined from 6.70% (95% CI 6.21-7.19) to 3.94% (95% CI 3.60-4.29) among women ages 21-24 and from 4.35% (95% CI 4.03-4.67) to 3.53% (3.25-3.80) among women over 24 years. These declines correspond to a 1.93 percentage point reduction (95% CI 1.62-2.25; p < 0.001) in colposcopy rate among women 21-24 vs. over 24 years, or a two-fold relative reduction. Among women ages 21-24, colposcopy receipt was associated with speaking primarily English vs. non-English (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.35-1.57), having a cervical cytology test within the past year vs. not (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.44-1.66), and receiving care from a public vs. private provider (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.06-1.62). CONCLUSIONS: Colposcopy procedure rates among young women significantly declined following publication of the 2012 management guidelines, which has implications for reducing potential harms of overtreatment.

CT Imaging as a Single Modality for Clinical Staging of Gastric Cancer in Limited Resource Centers: A Retrospective Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer disproportionately impacts populations in resource-limited settings. Within a safety-net network, we assessed the utility of computed tomography (CT) as a single staging modality. METHODS: We utilized a clinical database of gastric cancer patients treated within the Los Angeles County safety-net hospital system from 2016 to 2023 in conjunction with retrospective imaging review by certified radiologists. We assessed agreement between clinical and pathological staging for patients who underwent curative gastrectomy using the Kappa coefficient. RESULTS: Of 107 patients with available CT imaging, 43.9% (n = 47) were staged with CT as a single modality. Most tumors displayed infiltrating (75%) or diffuse (28%) morphology, 41% displayed adequate gastric distention and regional lymphadenopathy was common (68%). Twenty-nine patients underwent curative gastrectomy. Overall agreement was minimal (κ = 0.29, 95% CI [0.071-0.51], p = 0.022), weak for T3/T4 tumors (κ = 0.50, 95% CI [0.17-0.82], p < 0.01), and weak for Hispanic/Latino patients (κ = 0.47, 95% CI [0.19-0.76], p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There was minimal agreement between clinical and pathologic staging when assessing clinical stage by CT imaging alone, suggesting that CT is not adequate as a single modality staging tool. While every effort should be made to obtain multimodal staging, larger studies are warranted to improve CT imaging protocols for staging in resource-limited settings.

Cost-effectiveness of approaches to cervical cancer screening in Malawi: comparison of frequencies, lesion treatment techniques, and risk-stratified approaches.

BACKGROUND: Recently-updated global guidelines for cervical cancer screening incorporated new technologies-most significantly, the inclusion of HPV DNA detection as a primary screening test-but leave many implementation decisions at countries' discretion. We sought to develop recommendations for Malawi as a test case since it has the second-highest cervical cancer burden globally and high HIV prevalence. We incorporated updated epidemiologic data, the full range of ablation methods recommended, and a more nuanced representation of how HIV status intersects with cervical cancer risk and exposure to screening to model outcomes of different approaches to screening. METHODS: Using a Markov model, we estimate the relative health outcomes and costs of different approaches to cervical cancer screening among Malawian women. The model was parameterized using published data, and focused on comparing "triage" approaches-i.e., lesion treatment (cryotherapy or thermocoagulation) at differing frequencies and varying by HIV status. Health outcomes were quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and deaths averted. The model was built using TreeAge Pro software. RESULTS: Thermocoagulation was more cost-effective than cryotherapy at all screening frequencies. Screening women once per decade would avert substantially more deaths than screening only once per lifetime, at relatively little additional cost. Moreover, at this frequency, it would be advisable to ensure that all women who screen positive receive treatment (rather than investing in further increases in screening frequency): for a similar gain in QALYs, it would cost more than four times as much to implement once-per-5 years screening with only 50% of women treated versus once-per-decade screening with 100% of women treated. Stratified screening schedules by HIV status was found to be an optimal approach. CONCLUSIONS: These results add new evidence about cost-effective approaches to cervical cancer screening in low-income countries. At relatively infrequent screening intervals, if resources are limited, it would be more cost-effective to invest in scaling up thermocoagulation for treatment before increasing the recommended screening frequency. In Malawi or countries in a similar stage of the HIV epidemic, a stratified approach that prioritizes more frequent screening for women living with HIV may be more cost-effective than population-wide recommendations that are HIV status neutral.

Effectiveness and feasibility of three types of parent reminders to increase adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.

Parent reminders have produced modest improvements in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among adolescents. However, little prior research has compared the effectiveness and feasibility of different HPV reminder types in resource-limited settings. We conducted a quasi-experimental study (2016-2017) to evaluate the effectiveness of three parent reminder types (mailed letters, robocalls, text messages) on next-dose HPV vaccine receipt among 12-year-olds in a large Federally Qualified Health Center in Los Angeles County. Six clinics were matched into three pairs: randomly assigning one clinic within each pair to intervention and control. Intervention clinics were randomly assigned to deliver one of the three parent reminder types. We calculated rates of next-dose vaccine receipt and assessed intervention effects using logistic regression models. We calculated the proportion of each type of reminder successfully delivered as a feasibility measure. The study sample comprised 877 12-year-olds due for an HPV vaccine dose (47% female, >85% Latino). At 4-month follow-up, 23% of intervention patients received an HPV vaccine dose compared to only 12% of control patients. Overall, receipt of any reminder increased rates of the next-needed HPV vaccine compared to usual care (p = 0.046). Significant improvements were observed for text reminders (p = 0.036) and boys (p = 0.006). Robocalls were the least feasible reminder type. Text message reminders are feasible and effective for promoting HPV vaccination. Future research is needed to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of reminders compared to other vaccine promotion strategies.

Effect of a media intervention on hepatitis B screening among Vietnamese Americans.

Objective: There is a lack of controlled studies of community-wide interventions to increase screening for hepatitis B (HBV) among Asian Americans, particularly Vietnamese Americans, who disproportionately suffer from HBV-related illnesses. The objective of our study was to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of a media campaign to promote HBV screening among Vietnamese Americans.Design: We designed and implemented a three-year media campaign promoting HBV screening among Vietnamese Americans. Evaluation consisted of cross-sectional pre- and post-intervention population-based telephone surveys of Vietnamese Americans adults age 18-64 who spoke English or Vietnamese and lived in the Northern California (intervention) or Greater Washington, D.C. (comparison) communities in 2007 or 2011. Statistical analysis was completed in 2012. The main outcome was self-report of HBV testing, defined as participants answering 'Yes' to the question: 'Have you ever had a blood test to check for hepatitis B?'Results: The sample sizes at pre- and post-intervention were 1,704 and 1,666, respectively. Both communities reported increased exposure to HBV-related booklets, radio and television advertisements, and websites. Only the intervention community reported increased exposure to newspaper elements. HBV screening increased in both communities (intervention: 65.3% to 73.1%, p < 0.01, comparison: 57.7% to 66.0%, p < 0.01). In multivariable analyses, there was no intervention effect. In both communities, exposure to media elements (Odds Ratio 1.26 [95% Confidence Interval: 1.21, 1.31] for each additional element) was significantly associated with screening.Conclusions: Among Vietnamese Americans in 2 large communities, HBV screening rates were sub-optimal. Screening increased in both the intensive media intervention and comparison communities, and exposure to HBV-related media messages was associated with increased screening. Efforts to address HBV screening among Vietnamese Americans should include mass media messaging.

"When You Have Gotten Help, That Means You Were Strong": A Qualitative Study of Experiences in a "Screen and Treat" Program for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Malawi.

Disproportionate cervical cancer burden falls on women in low-income countries, and there are new efforts to scale up prevention worldwide, including via "screen and treat" for detection and removal of abnormal cervical lesions. This study examines Malawian women's experiences with "screen and treat"; this is an under-explored topic in the literature, which has focused largely on knowledge about and attitudes toward screening, but not on experiences with screening. We interviewed 47 women who have been screened at least once for cervical cancer. The interview guide and analysis approach were informed by the Multi-Level Health Outcomes Framework. Women were recruited at facilities that offer "screen and treat" and asked about their experiences with screening. The average age of respondents was 40 years, and approximately half were HIV-negative. Although women were knowledgeable about the benefits of screening, they articulated many barriers including being turned away because of stock-outs of equipment, far distances to services, discomfort with male providers, and poor communication with providers. Alongside the many health education campaigns to increase awareness and demand for "screen and treat" services, the global public health community must also address implementation barriers in the resource-constrained health systems where burden is greatest. Particular attention should be paid to quality and person-centeredness of "screen and treat" services to optimize uptake and engagement in care.

A Survivorship Educational Tool for Latino Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND: Low receipt of survivorship care by Latino adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors necessitates development of age-appropriate and culturally tailored interventions aimed at increasing their perceived need for survivorship care. METHOD: This study describes the development and acceptability testing of a culturally tailored intervention, a photonovela, as part of a community-partnered participatory research (CPPR) project. A four-step approach to the photonovela's development was implemented: (a) literature review, (b) RAND-modified Delphi method, (c) photonovela booklet development, and (d) photonovela acceptability testing through focus groups. Using the CPPR approach, community and academic experts and members worked together at all stages of this project to identify educational domains for the photonovela and ensure that community views and scientific knowledge were equally represented. RESULTS: Cancer survivors and their families described the photonovela as entertaining and relatable. Its story positively reflected their own experiences, and they connected strongly with its characters. Acceptability testing of the photonovela played a significant role in its final script and content, and provided additional new insights into understanding survivorship care perspectives for Latino AYA survivors and their families. CONCLUSION: Equal and shared community and academic involvement through CPPR is essential in identifying unique needs and developing culturally acceptable educational interventions for Latino AYA cancer survivors. The photonovela was seen as an important educational resource in enhancing knowledge and increasing perceived need for survivorship care in this population.

Automated identification and assignment of colonoscopy surveillance recommendations for individuals with colorectal polyps.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Determining surveillance intervals for patients with colorectal polyps is critical but time-consuming and challenging to do reliably. We present the development and assessment of a pipeline that leverages natural language processing techniques to automatically extract and analyze relevant polyp findings from free-text colonoscopy and pathology reports. Using this information, we categorized individual patients into 6 postcolonoscopy surveillance intervals defined by the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer. METHODS: Using a set of 546 randomly selected colonoscopy and pathology reports from 324 patients in a single health system, we used a combination of statistical classifiers and rule-based methods to extract polyp properties from each report type, associate properties with unique polyps, and classify a patient into 1 of 6 risk categories by integrating information from both report types. We then assessed the pipeline's performance by determining the positive predictive value (PPV), sensitivity, and F-score of the algorithm, compared with the determination of surveillance intervals by a gastroenterologist. RESULTS: The pipeline was developed using 346 reports (224 colonoscopy and 122 pathology) from 224 patients and evaluated on an independent test set of 200 reports (100 colonoscopy and 100 pathology) from 100 patients. We achieved an average PPV, sensitivity, and F-score of .92, .95, and .93, respectively, across targeted entities for colonoscopy. Pathology extraction achieved a PPV, sensitivity, and F-score of .95, .97, and .96. The system achieved an overall accuracy of 92% in assigning the recommended interval for surveillance colonoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility of using machine learning to automatically extract findings and classify patients to appropriate risk categories and corresponding surveillance intervals. Incorporating this system can facilitate proactive and timely follow-up after screening colonoscopy and enable real-time quality assessment of prevention programs and providers.

Serum lipids are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a pilot case-control study in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. NAFLD is mediated by changes in lipid metabolism and known risk factors include obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. The aim of this study was to better understand differences in the lipid composition of individuals with NAFLD compared to controls, by performing direct infusion lipidomics on serum biospecimens from a cohort study of adults in Mexico. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted with a sample of 98 NAFLD cases and 100 healthy controls who are participating in an on-going, longitudinal study in Mexico. NAFLD cases were clinically confirmed using elevated liver enzyme tests and liver ultrasound or liver ultrasound elastography, after excluding alcohol abuse, and 100 controls were identified as having at least two consecutive normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (< 40 U/L) results in a 6-month period, and a normal liver ultrasound elastography result in January 2018. Samples were analyzed on the Sciex Lipidyzer Platform and quantified with normalization to serum volume. As many as 1100 lipid species can be identified using the Lipidyzer targeted multiple-reaction monitoring list. The association between serum lipids and NAFLD was investigated using analysis of covariance, random forest analysis, and by generating receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: NAFLD cases had differences in total amounts of serum cholesterol esters, lysophosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins, and triacylglycerols (TAGs), however, other lipid subclasses were similar to controls. Analysis of individual TAG species revealed increased incorporation of saturated fatty acyl tails in serum of NAFLD cases. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and PNPLA3 genotype, a combined panel of ten lipids predicted case or control status better than an area under the ROC curve of 0.83. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results indicate that the serum lipidome differs in patients with NAFLD, compared to healthy controls, and suggest that assessing the desaturation state of TAGs or a specific lipid panel may be useful clinical tools for the diagnosis of NAFLD.

Engaging Latino Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Survivors in Their Care: Piloting a Photonovela Intervention.

Latino adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors represent a growing population given the changing demographics in the USA. They experience significant healthcare disparities and barriers that warrant age-specific and culturally appropriate interventions to improve their clinical and psychosocial outcomes. This single-arm pilot study evaluated a novel intervention - a photonovela - on its ability to educate Latino AYA survivors and their family members and engage them in survivorship care. Ninety-seven participants (Latino AYA survivors and their family members) were recruited for this study. Three surveys assessing survivorship care confidence, cancer stigma, and survivorship care knowledge were administered to families before they received the photonovela, after the intervention, and at a booster phone call session. Mixed effects models were used to evaluate differences in scores at the three time points while accounting for repeated measures and family clustering. Results show that the photonovela was effective in improving survivorship care confidence and knowledge of Latino AYA survivors and their families. This pilot study indicates that the photonovela has potential to be a useful intervention for improving confidence and knowledge regarding the need to seek survivorship care for Latino AYA cancer survivors.

Sustaining Successful Clinical-community Partnerships in Medically Underserved Urban Areas: A Qualitative Case Study.

Clinical-community partnerships can improve access and receipt of preventive health services in community settings. Understanding how to sustain their potential benefits is warranted. Qualitative case-study of the Faith Community Health Partnership (FCHP), a collaboration between faith-community nurses and community organizations sustained over 25 years. We used content analysis principles to report on partnership sustainability themes identified through semi-structured interviews with FCHP partners (n = 18). Factors supporting partnership sustainability: Maintaining partners' commitment over time; strategic resource-sharing; facilitating engagement; and preserving partnership flexibility. Sustaining clinical-community partnerships is a dynamic and continuous process requiring significant time, effort, and resources on behalf of partners.

Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Screening in the United States Before and After Implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is major cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Screening, however, is suboptimal and there are disparities in outcomes. After health policy changes and national efforts to increase rates of screening and address inequities, we aimed to examine progress towards eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in CRC screening. METHODS: We conducted a repeated cross-sectional analysis of average-risk adults (age 50-75 years) included in the behavioral risk factors surveillance system survey. The main outcome was CRC screening status. We determined screening rates overall and by race and ethnicity (1 variable) for each survey year from 2008 through 2016 and used Joinpoint analyses to determine significant trends in rates over time by race and ethnicity. We also examined screening modalities used overall and by race and ethnicity. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 1,089,433 respondents. Screening uptake was 61.1% in 2008 and 67.6% in 2016 (P < .001); it was highest among whites and lowest among Hispanics. Only whites, Hispanics, and Asians had significantly higher screening rates in each study year (P < .001). Despite increasing rates among Hispanics, the screening rate disparity between whites and Hispanics was 17% at the end of the study period. Screening rates in blacks did not change with time and were 4.0% lower than the rate in whites in 2016. Other racial and ethnic groups had varying levels of improvement with time. Colonoscopy was the most common modality each year. CONCLUSIONS: In a cross-sectional analysis of average-risk adults, we found that although rates of CRC screening have increased overall since 2008, they have increased disproportionately in each racial and ethnic group, and disparities in screening uptake persist.

Colorectal cancer screening among Hispanics in the United States: Disparities, modalities, predictors, and regional variation.

Hispanics represent the largest and one of the fastest growing minority populations in the U.S. and have lower survival from colorectal cancer (CRC) than non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). We aimed to examine screening modalities, predictors, and regional disparities among Hispanics and NHW in the U.S. by conducting a cross-sectional analysis of Hispanic participants age 50 to 75 from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. The primary outcome was self-reported CRC screening status. We used the Rao-Scott Chi-square test to compare screening rates and modalities in NHWs and Hispanics. We also used univariable and multivariable logistic regression to determine predictors of screening among Hispanics and calculated Hispanic-NHW screening rate differences for each U.S. state/territory as a measure of regional screening disparities. The screening rate was 53.4% for Hispanics (N = 12,395), compared to 70.4% for NHWs (N = 186,331) (p < 0.001). Among Hispanics, colonoscopy was most common (75.9%). Uninsured status (aOR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.38-0.70) and limited access to medical care (aOR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.29-0.49) predicted lack of screening. States/territories with the largest screening disparities were North Carolina (33.9%), Texas (28.3%), California (25.1%), and Nebraska (25.6%). Disparities were smallest in New York (2.6%), Indiana (3.1%), and Delaware (4.0%). In Ohio and Guam, Hispanics had higher screening rates than NHWs. In conclusion, Hispanics have lower CRC screening rates than NHWs across most U.S. states/territories; however, the disparity varies by region. Future efforts must address multi-level barriers to screening among Hispanics and target regions with low rates to improve CRC outcomes in this growing population.

Understanding Factors that Influence Health Care Utilization Among Mixtec and Zapotec Women in a Farmworker Community in California.

This paper examines health care utilization among indigenous immigrants from Oaxaca, Mexico, who have settled in a farmworker community in southern California. In 2016, two trained Spanish-Mixteco and Spanish-Zapoteco bi-lingual interviewers conducted in-depth interviews with 44 indigenous women residing in Oxnard, California on issues that affect health care utilization. Interviews were conducted in Mixteco, Zapoteco and Spanish and were coded to identify structural, cultural, and provider-related barriers to health care utilization. Five bi-lingual Spanish-Mixteco indigenous interpreters employed at local clinics were also interviewed. Many women reported lack of health insurance, inability to pay, language barriers, long waiting times, rushed encounters with providers, and seeking western medical care only after home remedies did not work. However, several women were able to access routine health care services, often with support from indigenous interpreters employed at clinics. Interviews with five interpreters found that they provided assistance with interpretation during medical encounters and appointment making. They also educated patients about upcoming exams, identified low-cost services and insurance programs available to patients, assisted with paperwork and occasionally educated physicians on behalf of their patients. In addition to addressing barriers to health care access our findings suggest the importance of identifying and leveraging community assets, such as indigenous navigators, when developing programs for such underserved communities. Our findings can inform best practice in settings that provide health care to indigenous populations and may also apply to settings that provide health care to other immigrant communities that have very limited familiarity and contact with western health care.

Obesity, physical activity, and dietary behaviors in an ethnically-diverse sample of cancer survivors with early onset disease.

PURPOSE: To assess weight status, physical activity, and dietary behaviors in an ethnically-diverse sample of breast and colorectal cancer survivors with early onset disease (≤ 50 years). METHODS: Breast and colorectal cancer survivors, diagnosed between 1999 and 2009 with early-stage cancer diagnosed by 50 years of age, were identified through a population-based cancer registry and surveyed. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted to characterize the sample and identify correlates of lifestyle behaviors. FINDINGS: The majority of participants (n = 156) were female (83%), insured (84%), and racial/ethnic minorities (29% Asian, 24% Latino, 15% African American). Participants' mean age at response was 50 years and mean time since diagnosis was 9 years. Over half of survivors were overweight or obese. Few participants reported engaging in regular physical activity (31%) and adhering to minimum guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption (32%). A substantial proportion of survivors consumed fast food in the past week (75%) and nearly half (48%) reported daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Lower income was associated with inadequate fruit and vegetable intake. Fast food and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was significantly higher among racial/ethnic minority survivors compared to non-Latino whites. CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of overweight and suboptimal adherence to recommended nutrition and physical activity behaviors were observed among cancer survivors with early onset disease. Cancer survivors diagnosed at a young age may benefit from targeted interventions to address overweight and suboptimal nutrition and physical activity.

Future cancer research priorities in the USA: a Lancet Oncology Commission.

We are in the midst of a technological revolution that is providing new insights into human biology and cancer. In this era of big data, we are amassing large amounts of information that is transforming how we approach cancer treatment and prevention. Enactment of the Cancer Moonshot within the 21st Century Cures Act in the USA arrived at a propitious moment in the advancement of knowledge, providing nearly US$2 billion of funding for cancer research and precision medicine. In 2016, the Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) set out a roadmap of recommendations designed to exploit new advances in cancer diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Those recommendations provided a high-level view of how to accelerate the conversion of new scientific discoveries into effective treatments and prevention for cancer. The US National Cancer Institute is already implementing some of those recommendations. As experts in the priority areas identified by the BRP, we bolster those recommendations to implement this important scientific roadmap. In this Commission, we examine the BRP recommendations in greater detail and expand the discussion to include additional priority areas, including surgical oncology, radiation oncology, imaging, health systems and health disparities, regulation and financing, population science, and oncopolicy. We prioritise areas of research in the USA that we believe would accelerate efforts to benefit patients with cancer. Finally, we hope the recommendations in this report will facilitate new international collaborations to further enhance global efforts in cancer control.

Skin Examination Practices Among Melanoma Survivors and Their Children.

Many professional organizations recommend skin self-examination (SSE) as a tool for early detection of malignancy among melanoma survivors, a growing population that is at increased risk for new or recurrent melanoma. This study examined the frequency and correlates of SSE use among melanoma survivors. Additionally, we assessed skin exam use among children of survivors, who are at elevated lifetime risk for the disease. The California Cancer Registry was used to identify melanoma survivors, who were contacted, screened for eligibility, and invited to participate in a survey. The survey, administered by mail, web, or telephone, assessed a broad range of topics related to melanoma prevention in high-risk families. The present study focuses on skin examination practices of survivors and their children and potential correlates of these practices. Among a sample of 316 melanoma survivors, fewer than one in five participants performed monthly skin self-exams, a lower rate than that observed in previous studies. Although greater family history of melanoma, use of skin protection strategies, and the perceived severity of melanom were associated with more frequent use of skin self-exams, these relationships disappeared in adjusted analyses. Participants reported unexpectedly frequent use of skin examinations for their children despite the lack of professional guidelines for this practice. Interventions are needed to improve skin self-examination practices among melanoma survivors and to counsel parents about optimal melanoma prevention strategies for their children.

Factors Influencing Mexican Women's Decisions to Vaccinate Daughters Against HPV in the United States and Mexico.

Mexican and Mexican-American women bear high cervical cancer burdens, yet relationships between mothers' experiences of vaccinating daughters against cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) on both sides of the border are unknown. We surveyed 400 Mexican-born women in Oxnard, California, United States and Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, about their beliefs and practices regarding daughters' HPV vaccination, conducting in-depth interviews with 35 participants. Contextualizing interview findings in survey data, we identify key factors influencing mothers' experiences regarding daughters' HPV vaccination in both countries. Although US acculturation influenced some participants' concerns, US and Mexico participants overwhelmingly desired eventual vaccination; structural rather than cultural barriers limited vaccine uptake.

Randomized trial to increase colorectal cancer screening in an ethnically diverse sample of first-degree relatives.

BACKGROUND: Ethnic minorities, especially African Americans and Latinos, bear a disproportionate burden of colorectal cancer (CRC), as reflected in incidence, cancer stage, and mortality statistics. In all ethnic groups, first-degree relatives (FDRs) of CRC cases are at an elevated disease risk. However, underuse of CRC screening persists and is particularly evident among minority groups. The current study tested a stepped intervention to increase CRC screening among an ethnically diverse sample of FDRs of CRC cases. METHODS: A statewide cancer registry was used to recruit CRC cases and through them their FDRs. Relatives who were not current on CRC screening were randomized to intervention or usual-care control arms. The stepped intervention consisted of ethnically targeted and individually tailored print materials followed by telephone counseling for those unscreened at 6 months. RESULTS: The study sample of 1280 individuals consisted of 403 Latino, 284 African American, 242 Asian, and 351 white FDRs. Statistically significant effects were observed for the cumulative print plus telephone intervention at 12 months (26% in the intervention vs 18% in the control group) and the print intervention alone at 6 months (15% in the intervention vs 10% in the control group). The effect of the print intervention alone versus the cumulative interventions was not statistically significantly different. Stratified analyses indicated that the intervention was effective among white, Latino, and Asian individuals, but not among African-Americans. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the intervention was effective in increasing screening rates. Oversampling racial/ethnic minorities allowed for the examination of effects within subgroups, revealing no effect among African American individuals. This finding illustrates the importance of including sufficient numbers of participants from diverse ethnic subgroups in intervention research to enable such stratified analyses.