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On July 29, 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration’s Oncology Center of Excellence convened Conversations on Cancer. This Conversation, the first ever by the US Food and Drug Administration, focused on Asian Americans and served as the platform for this Commentary. Panelists elaborated on topics ranging from heterogeneity in Asian American demographics to racism through a path to health equity and supplemented this Commentary with literature citations. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing US race group, yet data aggregation obscures distinctions and cancer disparities within the more than 24 million Asians living in the United States with harmful impacts on communities and patients, as illustrated by breast cancer survivor Susan Shinagawa’s patient-to-advocate journey. Bigotry against Asian Americans has been pervasive since the 19th century, but especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Americans are unique as the first US population to experience cancer as the leading cause of death. Asian Americans are disproportionately affected by cancers because of infectious origins and have the highest rates of lung cancer among never-smoking women. The infinitesimal proportion of the National Institutes of Health’s budget compared with experiencing the highest percentage increases of any US racial population more than 3 decades highlights the dearth of focused research among Asian Americans. Recognizing the heterogeneity of Asian Americans and that disaggregated data are critical for accurately characterizing distinct ethnic groups, focusing on the impact of racism and COVID-19 on cancer disparities, and focusing and prioritizing funding resources are necessary steps forward for achieving health equity for Asian Americans.

Development of candidate cancer treatments is a resource-intensive process, with the research community continuing to investigate options beyond static genomic characterization. Toward this goal, we have established the genomic landscapes of 536 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models across 25 cancer types, together with mutation, copy number, fusion, transcriptomic profiles, and NCI-MATCH arms. Compared with human tumors, PDXs typically have higher purity and fit to investigate dynamic driver events and molecular properties via multiple time points from same case PDXs. Here, we report on dynamic genomic landscapes and pharmacogenomic associations, including associations between activating oncogenic events and drugs, correlations between whole-genome duplications and subclone events, and the potential PDX models for NCI-MATCH trials. Lastly, we provide a web portal having comprehensive pan-cancer PDX genomic profiles and source code to facilitate identification of more druggable events and further insights into PDXs’ recapitulation of human tumors., Patient-derived xenograft models (PDX) have been extensively used to study the molecular and clinical features of cancers. Here the authors present a cohort of 536 PDX models from 25 cancers, as well as their genomic and evolutionary profiles and their suitability for clinical trials.

Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) model human intra-tumoral heterogeneity in the context of the intact tissue of immunocompromised mice. Histological imaging via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining is performed on PDX samples for routine assessment and, in principle, captures the complex interplay between tumor and stromal cells. Deep learning (DL)-based analysis of large human H&E image repositories has extracted inter-cellular and morphological signals correlated with disease phenotype and therapeutic response. Here, we present an extensive, pan-cancer repository of nearly 1,000 PDX and paired human progenitor H&E images. These images, curated from the PDXNet consortium, are associated with genomic and transcriptomic data, clinical metadata, pathological assessment of cell composition, and, in several cases, detailed pathological annotation of tumor, stroma, and necrotic regions. We demonstrate that DL can be applied to these images to classify tumor regions with an accuracy of 0.87. Further, we show that DL can predict xenograft-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder, the unintended outgrowth of human lymphocytes at the transplantation site, with an accuracy of 0.97. This repository enables PDX-specific investigations of cancer biology through histopathological analysis and contributes important model system data that expand on existing human histology repositories. We expect the PDXNet Image Repository to be valuable for controlled digital pathology analysis, both for the evaluation of technical issues such as stain normalization and for development of novel computational methods based on spatial behaviors within cancer tissues. Citation Format: Brian S. White, Xing Yi Woo, Soner Koc, Todd Sheridan, Steven B. Neuhauser, Shidan Wang, Yvonne A. Evrard, John David Landua, R Jay Mashl, Sherri R. Davies, Bingliang Fang, Maria Gabriela Raso, Kurt W. Evans, Matthew H. Bailey, Yeqing Chen, Min Xiao, Jill Rubinstein, Ali Foroughi pour, Lacey Elizabeth Dobrolecki, Maihi Fujita, Junya Fujimoto, Guanghua Xiao, Ryan C. Fields, Jacqueline L. Mudd, Xiaowei Xu, Melinda G. Hollingshead, Shahanawaz Jiwani, PDXNet consortium, Tiffany A. Wallace, Jeffrey A. Moscow, James H. Doroshow, Nicholas Mitsiades, Salma Kaochar, Chong-xian Pan, Moon S. Chen, Luis G. Carvajal-Carmona, Alana L. Welm, Bryan E. Welm, Ramaswamy Govindan, Shunqiang Li, Michael A. Davies, Jack A. Roth, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Yang Xie, Meenhard Herlyn, Li Ding, Michael T. Lewis, Carol J. Bolt, Dennis A. Dean, Jeffrey H. Chuang. A pan-cancer PDX histology image repository with genomic and pathological annotations for deep learning analysis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5407.

While cancer mortality is declining in the United States, significant racial, ethnic, economic and geographic inequities persist. To help address inequities in cancer treatment, care, support and research, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) instituted the community outreach and engagement (COE) mandate for NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers (CCCs). The Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation designed a convening and listening session on COE with NCI leaders and staff gathering representatives from CCCs and the broader cancer community. This paper captures recommendations from the listening session for the NCI and CCCs to further evolve the implementation and impact of the COE mandate on cancer control and outcomes.

We created the PDX Network (PDXNet) portal (https://portal.pdxnetwork.org/) to centralize access to the National Cancer Institute-funded PDXNet consortium resources, to facilitate collaboration among researchers and to make these data easily available for research. The portal includes sections for resources, analysis results, metrics for PDXNet activities, data processing protocols and training materials for processing PDX data. Currently, the portal contains PDXNet model information and data resources from 334 new models across 33 cancer types. Tissue samples of these models were deposited in the NCI’s Patient-Derived Model Repository (PDMR) for public access. These models have 2134 associated sequencing files from 873 samples across 308 patients, which are hosted on the Cancer Genomics Cloud powered by Seven Bridges and the NCI Cancer Data Service for long-term storage and access with dbGaP permissions. The portal includes results from freely available, robust, validated and standardized analysis workflows on PDXNet sequencing files and PDMR data (3857 samples from 629 patients across 85 disease types). The PDXNet portal is continuously updated with new data and is of significant utility to the cancer research community as it provides a centralized location for PDXNet resources, which support multi-agent treatment studies, determination of sensitivity and resistance mechanisms, and preclinical trials.

To measure the effect of an electronic health record (EHR) alert on chronic hepatitis B (CHB) screening among at-risk Asian and Pacific Islanders (API). API patients who had not yet completed hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) testing were identified by a novel EHR-based population health tool. At-risk API patients in Cohort 1 (primarily privately insured) and Cohort 2 (includes Medicare and/or Medicaid) were randomized to alert activation in their electronic medical charts or not. In total, 8299 API were found to be deficient in HBsAg completion at baseline within our health system. In Cohort 1, 1542 patients and 1568 patients were randomized to the alert and control respectively. In Cohort 2, 2599 patients and 2590 patients were randomized to the alert and control respectively. For both cohorts combined, 389 HBsAg tests were completed in the alert group compared to 177 HBsAg tests in the control group (p p = 0.09; OR = 0.5; 95% CI 0.24–1.09). Our results demonstrate that personalized, automated electronic alerts increase screening for CHB, but more comprehensive measures are needed to detect HBsAg positive patients.NIH Trial Registry Number: NCT04240678.

We created the PDX Network (PDXNet) Portal (https://portal.pdxnetwork.org/) to centralize access to the National Cancer Institute-funded PDXNet consortium resources (i.e., PDX models, sequencing data, treatment response data, and bioinformatics workflows), to facilitate collaboration among researchers, and to make resources easily available for research. The portal includes sections for resources, analysis results, metrics for PDXNet activities, data processing protocols, and training materials for processing PDX data.The initial portal release highlights PDXNet model and data resources, including 334 new models across 33 cancer types. Tissue samples of these models were deposited in the NCI’s Patient-Derived Model Repository (PDMR) for public access. These models have 2,822 associated sequencing files from 873 samples across 307 patients, which are hosted on the Cancer Genomics Cloud powered by Seven Bridges and the NCI Cancer Data Service for long-term storage and access with dbGaP permissions. The portal also includes results from standardized analysis workflows on PDXNet sequencing files and PDMR data (2,594 samples from 463 patients across 78 disease types). These 15 analysis workflows for whole-exome and RNA-Seq data are freely available, robust, validated, and standardized.The model and data lists will grow substantially over the next two years and will be continuously updated as new data are available. PDXNet models support multi-agent treatment studies, determination of sensitivity and resistance mechanisms, and preclinical trials. The PDXNet portal is a centralized location for these data and resources, which we expect to be of significant utility for the cancer research community.

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

In recent years, the cancer research and care community has been more attuned to health equity, increasingly pursuing coordinated and comprehensive action to achieve equitable health outcomes. In addition to its support of a joint research agenda for health disparities in 2017, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has demonstrated its commitment to addressing health inequities with its 2012 requirement for cancer centers to define and address the needs of a local "catchment area" and the 2016 mandate for Community Outreach and Engagement (COE). With several years of experience with the COE requirements, there is an opportunity to reflect on the experience to-date and identify opportunities to bolster the impact of COE on equitable cancer outcomes for the future. To do so, the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMSF) hosted a special convening and listening session in April 2019. The session agenda was cocreated by BMSF and NCI leaders and staff. It brought together 41 individuals, including representatives from the NCI Cancer Centers Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Health and Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities, 22 NCI-designated, emerging or affiliated comprehensive cancer centers, and the broader cancer community. This article captures key themes from that meeting, including an overview of current COE efforts, with a deeper look at how four cancer centers are embedding health equity and COE efforts into their institutions and work, and the successes and challenges they have encountered.

Acceptance of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among parents and clinicians is high, but uptake remains low. Little is known about organizational and primary care team factors that influence the uptake of the HPV vaccine. Interviews with clinicians, clinic support staff, and parents of adolescent patients were conducted to better understand the interrelationships among the people and the organizational processes that influence HPV vaccine uptake at the point of care. Between July 2016 and February 2017, semi-structured interviews of 40 participants (18 clinicians, 12 clinic support staff, and 10 parents of adolescent patients) in a primary care network were conducted. Organizational structures and processes, such as electronic provider reminders, availability of “vaccination only” appointments, and knowledgeable primary care team members contributed to HPV vaccine uptake. Consistently high support of HPV vaccination was found among key informants; however, rather than refuse HPV vaccination, parents are opting to delay vaccination to a future visit. When parents express the desire to delay, clinicians and care team members described often recommending addressing HPV vaccination at a future visit, giving parents the impression that receiving the vaccine was not time-sensitive for their child. Discordance in HPV vaccination recommendations among providers and clinic support staff may contribute to delayed HPV vaccination. Strong, high-quality HPV vaccine recommendations are needed from all primary team members. Clinic interventions to accelerate HPV vaccine uptake may benefit from a team-based approach where every member of the primary care team is delivering the same consistent messaging about the importance of timely HPV vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) disproportionately affects non-US born Asians. The Hmong have been shown to have the highest rates of CHB and mortality from liver cancer compared to other Asian groups. METHODS: From September 2014 - September 2017, testing for CHB within Sacramento County was conducted through community-based testing events and an electronic health record alert that identified Asian patients by surname. Demographic and laboratory data were collected for analysis and patients were followed through the study period to assess linkage to care and treatment to compare differences between Asian origin groups. RESULTS: Of 4,350 patients tested for CHB, 318 (7.3%) were HBsAg positive, including 90 Chinese, 47 Hmong, and 101 Vietnamese. Hmong were more likely to have Medicaid insurance compared to other Asian origin groups (15%, p

Tobacco treatment is increasingly recognized as important to cancer care, but few cancer centers have implemented sustainable tobacco treatment programs. The University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCD CCC) was funded to integrate tobacco treatment into cancer care. Lessons learned from the UCD CCC are illustrated across a systems framework with the Cancer Care Continuum and by applying constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Findings demonstrate different motivational drivers for the cancer center and the broader health system. Implementation readiness across the domains of the Cancer Care Continuum with clinical entities was more mature in the Prevention domain, but Screening, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship domains demonstrated less implementation readiness despite leadership engagement. Over a two-year implementation process, the UCD CCC focused on enhancing information and knowledge sharing within the treatment domain with the support of the cancer committee infrastructure, while identifying available resources and adapting workflows for various cancer care service lines. The UCD CCC findings, while it may not be generalizable to all cancer centers, demonstrate the application of conceptual frameworks to accelerate implementation for a sustainable tobacco treatment program. Key common elements that may be shared across oncology settings include a state quitline for an adaptable intervention, cancer committees for outer/inner setting infrastructure, tobacco quality metrics for data reporting, and non-physician staff for integrated services.

Background: Study populations in clinical research must reflect US changing demographics, especially with the rise of precision medicine. However, racial and ethnic minority groups (REMGs) have low rates of participation in cancer clinical trials. Methods: Criteria were developed to identify cancer centers able to accrue a higher than average proportion of REMGs into clinical trials. Comprehensive interviews were conducted with leaders of these cancer centers to identify operational strategies contributing to enhanced accrual of REMGs. Results: Eight US cancer centers reported a REMG accrual rate range in cancer research between 10 and 50% in a 12-month reporting period and met other criteria for inclusion. Fourteen leaders participated in this assessment. Key findings were that centers: had a metric collection and reporting approach; routinely captured race and ethnicity data within databases accessible to research staff; had operational standards to support access and inclusion; developed practices to facilitate sustained patient participation during clinical trials; had strategies to decrease recruitment time and optimize clinical study design; and identified low-resource strategies for REMG accrual. There was also a clear commitment to establish processes that support the patient's provider as the key influencer of patient recruitment into clinical trials. Conclusion: We have identified operational practices that facilitate increased inclusion of REMGs in cancer trials. In order to establish a sustainable cancer center inclusion research strategy, it is valuable to include an operational framework that is informed by leading US cancer centers of excellence. Keywords: Cancer research, Clinical trials, Operations, Disparities, Diversity and inclusion, Racial and ethnic minority groups

The purpose of this presentation is to report accomplishments of a 3-year [5/1/2018-4/30/2021] Bristol-Meyers Squibb Foundation-funded collaboration between UC Davis and the Health and Life Organization (HALO), a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike in increasing cancer screenings and cancer prevention/control behaviors among Asian Americans. HALO was selected for this study becuase it is the largest health system serving Asian Americans in Sacramento Co., CA. About one-third of their patients (9000) are Asian [primarily Hmong and other SE Asains). The hypothesis we tested was based on UC Davis's prior completed research that bilingual/bicultural Hmong lay health workers significantly increased screenings for HBV and colorectal cancer screening in randomized controlled community trials among Asians who largely had limited English proficiency. Our premise was to apply this concept to a clinical setting through HALO's bilingual/bicultural medical assistants (MAs). By comparing baseline (prior to the initiation of our funding) to 3 years of collaboration, we observed an overall 13.3% increase (surpassing our 10% goal) in cancer screenings & prevention/control behaviors. The largest percentage increases were in mammography (20.3%), colorectal cancer screening (11.6%), and Pap tests (7.9%). The smallest increases were in HBV vaccination (0.5%), tobaccco cessation counseling (2.2%), and HPV vaccination (2.8%). Since this was our first collaboration, much was shared through our monthly UCD-HALO leadership meetings where adjustments were made. A major adjustment was to learn that the electronic health systems used by community health centers such as HALO were not intended for reseearch purposes. While primary care provider time was less flexible, we found that MAs who reflect the HALO patient population were very receptive to training. We provided training through 10 Saturday academies, in-person and later delivered virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the topics related to the above metrics as well as other topics such as cultural competence, resources for patients, and optimizing patient workflows. Effectiveness of these academies were documented through gains in average scores from pre-tests [58%] to post-tests [84%] and qualitative feedback. Fifity-eight participants attended. More rigorous evaluation approaches to link our efforts to the impact of our work would have been preferred, but would have needed to be more resource-intensive. However, we anticipate that the equipping of MAs in new competencies and tools we provided for patients in various languages as infographics will be the bases for sustained effectiveness. Another measure of success was that this collaborative contributed to the receipt of a major Federal grant to eliminate perinatal HBV transmission through HALO. A UC Davis You-Tube style interactive modules as refresher materials and for new MAs will be another means of sustaining impact. Citation Format: Moon S. Chen, Jr., Ian Johnson, Ulissa K. Smith, Miguel Suarez, Alexandra Gori, Kit Tam, Eric W. Chak, Julie Dang. Overcoming challenges through an academic-community health center collaborative to conduct cancer screening, prevention, & control among Asian Americans and sustainability initatives [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: 14th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2021 Oct 6-8. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-209.

Among an estimated 850,000 to 2.2 million persons with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the United States, 70% are non-U.S.-born (1,2). All patients require linkage to care, and approximately 20%-40% require antiviral treatment (3). Without treatment, one in four persons chronically infected with HBV will die prematurely from liver failure, liver cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma (4). To mitigate morbidity and mortality, CDC funded a cooperative agreement to develop hepatitis B testing and linkage-to-care programs serving non-U.S.-born persons during October 2014-September 2017. This report describes each program's operational services and partnerships with primary care centers, community-based organizations, and public health departments to recruit non-U.S.-born persons for HBV testing using the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and link those whose test results were positive to HBV-directed care (medical visit attendance with monitoring of HBV DNA and liver enzyme tests). Among 10,152 program participants, 757 (7.5%) were HBsAg-positive, indicative of chronic HBV infection; among these, 643 (85%) attended ≥1 medical visit, 587 (78%) received HBV-directed care, and 137 (18%) were prescribed antiviral treatment. Among 273 household contacts of HBsAg-positive persons, 39 (14%) had positive test results for HBsAg. Prevalence of current HBV infection was high in this non-U.S.-born population and among household and sexual contacts of HBV-infected persons. HBV testing and linkage to care can be achieved through partnerships with community organizations, health centers, and public health departments.

Author(s): Tepper, Clifford G; Dang, Julie HT; Stewart, Susan L; Fang, Dao M; Wong, Kimberly A; Liu, Stephenie Y; Davis, Ryan R; Dao, Doan Y; Gregg, Jeffrey P; Torok, Natalie J; Chen, Moon S | Abstract: BACKGROUND:An exploratory study was performed to determine the prevalence of the patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) rs78409 [G] allele among the Hmong as a risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is the world's most common chronic liver disease and is expected to replace viral hepatitis as the leading cause of cirrhosis and potential precursor to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Of all populations in California, the Hmong experience the highest risk of death from HCC and the highest prevalence of metabolic syndrome risk factors among Asians that predispose them to NAFLD. Here a genetic explanation was sought for the high rates of chronic liver disease among the Hmong. The literature pointed to the PNPLA3 rs738409 [G] allele as a potential genetic culprit. METHODS:Cell-free DNA was isolated from 26 serum samples previously collected in community settings. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping was performed with a validated TaqMan SNP genotyping assay, and results were analyzed with TaqMan Genotyper software. RESULTS:The PNPLA3 rs738409 [CgG] variant occurred at a frequency of 0.46 (12 of 26; 95% confidence interval, 0.27-0.67). This carrier rate would rank the Hmong as the third highest population in the 1000 Genomes Project. CONCLUSIONS:Although this small sample size limits the generalizability, the high frequency rates of this allele along with the presence of metabolic syndrome risk factors warrant further studies into the etiology of NAFLD among the Hmong. Cancer 2018;124:1583-9. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

BACKGROUND Biospecimens from racially diverse groups are needed to advance cancer research. The Asian American Cancer Education Study was developed to increase the number and proportion of blood biospecimen donations from Asian Americans for cancer research. METHODS The authors' targeted approach included 2 types of community engagement, in-reach (within institution to Asian American patients with cancer) and outreach (external to institution to the general Asian American community). Participants received in-language biospecimen education followed by the opportunity to donate blood biospecimens. Outreach participants donated through our community biospecimen blood drives, and in-reach participants consented to donating an extra tube of blood during their routine blood draws as a patient. Donated blood biospecimens were spun down to serum and plasma to be stored in a biorepository or were sent to the laboratory to test for cancer-related risk factors. RESULTS Three hundred eighty-eight Asian Americans donated 1127 blood biospecimens for cancer research. Four hundred twenty tubes of plasma and serum are currently being stored at the cancer center's biorepository, 39 tubes have been used for cancer genomic research, and 668 tubes were used to characterize cancer-related risk factors. CONCLUSIONS Building upon the past decade of the National Cancer Institute-funded Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research, and Training's foundation of trust and service among Asian Americans, researchers were able to leverage relationships not only to introduce the idea of biospecimen contribution to the community but to also exceed expectations with regard to the quantity of blood biospecimens collected from Asian Americans. Cancer 2018;124:1614-21. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

BACKGROUND In 2000 and in 2 subsequent 5-year cycles, the National Cancer Institute funded grantees on a regional and national basis to address community needs for cancer awareness, research, and training. The Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training (AANCART) is fortunate to have been funded since 2000 to focus on mitigating cancer health disparities facing Asian Americans residing primarily in California and Hawaii. This article highlights AANCART's achievements with respect to the original specific aims and unanticipated outcomes in its most recent funded cycle. METHODS Sources included reports to the National Cancer Institute and peer-reviewed articles as well as the insights of the 3 principal investigators. RESULTS All aims of the original application (infrastructure, outreach, research, and training) were attained or exceeded. Most distinctive was the completion and publication of 8 randomized controlled trials to address Asian American cancer health disparities and its nurture of 14 new and early stage investigators who have been productive in terms of research career trajectories. CONCLUSIONS AANCART is contributing to mitigating Asian American cancer health disparities by catalyzing academic and community collaborations that have resulted in linguistically specific and culturally tailored educational products, scientifically rigorous interventions addressed at cancer risk factors, and nurturing new and early stage Asian American cancer investigators. Cancer 2018;124:1527-34. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Background Cancer is the leading cause of death for Asian Americans. The authors evaluated the status of cancer prevention for Chinese Americans in San Francisco, which has had years of cancer prevention efforts. Methods Through a community-based clinic serving Chinese Americans, a randomized, controlled trial (n = 395) was conducted among participants who attended either a cancer prevention seminar or biospecimen education seminar. Changes in knowledge, attitudes, and screening completion/intent were measured across and between seminar groups. Results Participants were mostly women who had low acculturation and education levels. Over two-thirds to almost all participants knew about modifiable risk factors for cancer and that screening tests were available, including for lung cancer. The majority of women had already completed mammography and Papanicolaou (Pap) tests. Approximately one-half reported having completed colorectal cancer screening, prostate screening, or hepatitis B screening. Most were nonsmokers, but about one-half "strongly agreed" that they would want a test for tobacco smoke exposure. After the cancer prevention seminar, significant increases within group were noted for knowledge (eating healthy foods, from 93.1% to 97.7% [P = .0002]; secondhand smoke causes cancer, from 66.3% to 74.8% [P = .04]) and for screening completion/intent (colorectal cancer, from 58.1% to 64.5% [P = .002] cervical cancer, from 72.9% to 75.5% [P = .04]) and there was a trend toward an increase for prostate cancer (from 50.0% to 61.1%; P = .10). There was a significant change between groups for eating healthy foods (P = .004). Conclusions The current reports documents the gains in cancer prevention among Cantonese-speaking Chinese Americans, fostered by academic, community, and public health efforts. A community-based seminar demonstrated improvement in some cancer knowledge or screening intent and opportunities for continued efforts. Cancer 2018;124:1622-30. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

AIM To examine the largest tertiary referral center in southern and central Vietnam from 2010 to 2016, evaluating epidemiological trends of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and viral hepatitis B-C in this resource-limited setting. METHODS We extracted data of patients receiving care from Cho Ray Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), the largest oncology referral center in southern and central Vietnam, from 2010 to 2016. We collected information on patient age, gender, geographic distribution, and disease characteristics including disease stage, tumor biomarker levels [serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), AFP-L3 isoform percentage, and prothrombin induced by induced by vitamin K absence-II], and serological testing for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. RESULTS Data from 24091 HCC patients were extracted, with sample demographics comprising mostly male (81.8%) and older age (however with 8.5% younger than 40 years old). This patient sample included a geographic catchment population of 56 million people (60% of the country’s total population of 92.7 million), derived from 38 provinces and municipalities in Vietnam. Chronic HBV infection was found in 62.3% of cases, and chronic HCV infection in 26.0%. HBV and HCV co-infection was seen in 2.7%. Cirrhosis was found in an estimated 30% to 40% of cases. Nine percent of patients were not found to have chronic viral hepatitis. Twenty three point two percent of the patients had a normal AFP level. A total of 2199 patients were tested with AFP-L3 and PIVKA II over two years, with 57.7% having elevated AFP-L3%, and 88.5% with elevated PIVKA II levels. Over this 7-year period, the incidence of HCC increased, with a large proportion of cases (overall 40.8%) presenting initially an advanced stage, not amendable to surgical or locoregional therapy. CONCLUSION HCC contributes significant health care burden in southern and central Vietnam, with increasing case volume over this seven-year period. Viral hepatitis likely explains this high HCC prevalence.

We created the PDX Network (PDXNet) Portal to provide an intuitive way for researchers to explore and understand the models, sequencing data, and bioinformatics workflows generated by NCI's PDXNet consortium for research access (https://portal.pdxnetwork.org/). The portal also provides metrics for PDXNet's activities, data processing protocols, and training materials for processing PDX data. The PDXNet Portal highlights model and data resources that include 216 new models across 29 cancer types. The most prevalent cancers represented in the PDX model dataset include invasive breast carcinoma (30.6%), melanoma (18.1%), and adenocarcinoma (14.4%). PDXNet teams have provided 2263 sequencing files from 356 samples across 204 patients, comprising whole exome (82.9%) and RNA seq files (17.1%). The most prevalent cancers represented in the PDXNet sequencing data set include Breast Pleural Effusion (27.2%), Breast Poorly Differentiated (12.5%), and Lung Adenocarcinoma (9.6%). The portal also provides access to 9492 sequencing files across 78 disease types that include 2594 samples across 463 patients uploaded from the NCI Patient-Derived Model Repository. The dataset includes both whole exomes (52.8%) and RNA seq (47.2%) data. The PDMR samples include PDX (82.7%), primary tumor (5.7%), normal germline (5.5), organoid culture (3.2), and Mixed Tumor Culture (2.9). The PDMR dataset also has multiple passages: P0 (21.8%), P1(39.5%), P2 (25.6%), and P3 (8.5%). These models and data resources support ten PDXNet Pilot activities, multiple publications, and international collaborations. PDXNet has also developed a set of 13 robust, validated, and standardized workflows for processing PDXNet whole-exome and RNA seq data. Collectively, these workflows allow for the standardized processing of PDX and complementary human tissues (normal and tumor). Our plan is to continuously update the model and data lists on the PDX portal as resources are generated. We expect that the PDXNet generated models, scheduled to grow to 1000 new models by 2022, will support multi-agent treatment studies, determination of mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance, and pre-clinical trials for example through the COMBO-MATCH program. The robust standard workflows currently processing all PDX sequencing data may also facilitate harmonizing data across studies. Lastly, we expect that the generated sequencing data will support computational approaches for studying cancer evolution and the mechanisms underlying cancer treatments. Citation Format: Soner Koc, Mike Lloyd, Steven Neuhauser, Javad Noodbakhsh, Anuj Srivastava, Xing Yi Woo, Ryan Jeon, Jeffrey Grover, Sara Seepo, Christian Frech, Jack DiGiovanna, PDXNet Consortium, Yvonne A. Evard, Tiffany Wallace, Jeffrey Moscow, James H. Doroshow, Nicholas Mitsuade, Salma Kaochar, Chong-xian Pan, Moon S. Chen, Luis Carvarjal-Carmona, Alana Welm, Bryan Welm, Michael T. Lewis, Govindan Ramaswamy, Li Ding, Shunquang Li, Meenherd Herlyn, Mike Davies, Jack Roth, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Peter Robinson, Carol J. Bult, Brandi Davis-Dusenbery, Dennis A. Dean, Jeffrey H. Chuang. Advancing PDX research through model, data, and bioinformatics with the PDXNet Portal [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 3017.

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer among Korean American men and women. Although CRC screening is effective in reducing the burden of this disease, studies have shown that Korean Americans have low screening rates. METHODS The authors conducted a 2-arm cluster randomized controlled trial comparing a brochure (print) with a brochure and lay health educator (LHE) outreach (print + LHE) in increasing CRC screening rates among Korean American individuals. Self-administered written surveys at baseline and at 6 months assessed knowledge of CRC and its screening, ever screening, and being up to date with screening. RESULTS A total of 28 LHEs recruited 348 participants aged 50 to 75 years from their social networks. Significant percentages of participants reported not having health insurance (29.3%) or a usual source of care (35.6%). At 6 months postintervention, the print + LHE participants had a greater increase in knowledge compared with those in the print arm (P = .0013). In multivariable analyses, both groups had significant increases in ever screening (print plus LHE: odds ratio [OR], 1.60 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.26-2.03] and print: OR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.10-1.82]) and being up to date with screening (print plus LHE: OR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.23-2.16] and print: OR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.04-1.89]). However, these increases did not differ significantly between the study arms. Having insurance and having seen a provider within the past year were found to be positively associated with screening. CONCLUSIONS Compared with a brochure, LHE outreach yielded greater increases in knowledge but resulted in similar increases in CRC screening in a Korean American population with barriers to health care access. More work is needed to appropriately address logistical and system barriers in this community. Cancer 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Introduction and Aims. Non-smokers' assertive behaviour towards smokers by asking them not to smoke is important in promoting smoke-free environments. Korean and Chinese Americans come from countries where most women are non-smokers and assertive behaviour may not be prevalent but may increase after migration because of social-ecological factors. This study assessed the extent to which Korean and Chinese American non-smokers ask someone not to smoke and associated factors. Design and Methods. The 2003 California Chinese American and Korean American Tobacco Use Surveys were analysed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses examined factors related to non-smoker self-reports that they asked someone not to smoke within the past year. Results. About 40% reported past-year assertive behaviour against smoking, with higher rates among Koreans than Chinese (60.4% vs. 34.5%), those living with smokers (63.5%), ever exposed with a smoke-free home rule (62.3%), recently exposed at work without a smoke-free work policy (67.6%) and regularly exposed at other locations (52.3%). In combined multivariate analyses of both ethnic groups, assertive behaviour was associated with individual factors (single vs. married; tobacco exposure knowledge), family factors (living with smokers, exposed at home despite a smoke-free rule), community factors (exposed at work with no smoke-free policy, exposed at other locations) and cultural factors (Korean vs. Chinese ethnicity; lower acculturation). Discussion and Conclusions. Chinese and Korean American non-smokers report assertive behaviour against smoking, which is associated with social-ecological factors. Results help identify target groups and strategies for future intervention, including the need to implement or enforce smoke-free environments and promote empowerment. [Saw A, Tang H, Tsoh JY, Chen MS Jr, Tong EK. Non-smoker assertive behaviour against smoke exposure: Chinese and Korean American non-smokers. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000–000]

Objective To investigate the association between contraceptive effectiveness of Natural Cycles and users’ previous choice of contraceptive, and to evaluate the impact of shifting from other methods to Natural Cycles on the risk of unintended pregnancy. Setting Natural Cycles mobile application. Participants 16 331 Natural Cycles users in Sweden for the prevention of pregnancy. Outcome measures Risk of unintended pregnancy. Study design Real world evidence was collected from Natural Cycles users regarding contraceptive use prior to using Natural Cycles and sexual activity while using Natural Cycles. We calculated the typical use 1-year Pearl Index (PI) and 13-cycle failure rate of Natural Cycles for each cohort. The PI was compared with the population PI of their stated previous methods. Results For women who had used condoms before, the PI of Natural Cycles was the lowest at 3.5±0.5. For women who had used the pill before, the PI of Natural Cycles was the highest at 8.1±0.6. The frequency of unprotected sex on fertile days partially explained some of the observed variation in PI between cohorts. 89% of users switched to Natural Cycles from methods with higher or similar reported PIs. Conclusion The effectiveness of Natural Cycles is influenced by previous contraceptive choice and this should be considered when evaluating the suitability of the method for the individual. We estimate that Natural Cycles usage can reduce the overall likelihood of having an unintended pregnancy by shifting usage from less effective methods.

PURPOSE: Participation of racial and ethnic minority groups (REMGs) in cancer trials is disproportionately low despite a high prevalence of certain cancers in REMG populations. We aimed to identify notable practices used by leading US cancer centers that facilitate REMG participation in cancer trials. METHODS: The National Minority Quality Forum and Sustainable Healthy Communities Diverse Cancer Communities Working Group developed criteria by which to identify eligible US cancer centers—REMGs comprise 10% or more of the catchment area; a 10% to 50% yearly accrual rate of REMGs in cancer trials; and the presence of formal community outreach and diversity enrollment programs. Cancer center leaders were interviewed to ascertain notable practices that facilitate REMG accrual in clinical trials. RESULTS: Eight cancer centers that met the Communities Working Group criteria were invited to participate in in-depth interviews. Notable strategies for increased REMG accrual to cancer trials were reported across five broad themes: commitment and center leadership, investigator training and mentoring, community engagement, patient engagement, and operational practices. Specific notable practices included increased engagement of health care professionals, the presence of formal processes for obtaining REMG patient/caregiver input on research projects, and engagement of community groups to drive REMG participation. Centers also reported an increase in the allocation of resources to improving health disparities and increased dedication of research staff to REMG engagement. CONCLUSION: We have identified notable practices that facilitate increased participation of REMGs in cancer trials. Wide implementation of such strategies across cancer centers is essential to ensure that all populations benefit from advances in an era of increasingly personalized treatment of cancer.

BACKGROUND Asian Americans have lower colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates than non-Hispanic white individuals. Hmong Americans have limited socioeconomic resources and literacy. The current randomized controlled trial was conducted to determine whether bilingual/bicultural lay health educator (LHE) education could increase CRC screening among Hmong Americans. METHODS A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among Hmong Americans in Sacramento, California. LHEs and recruited participants were randomized to intervention or control groups. The intervention group received CRC education over 3 months delivered by an LHE. The control group received education regarding nutrition and physical activity delivered by a health educator. The outcomes were changes in self-reported ever-screening and up-to-date CRC screening after 6 months. RESULTS All 329 participants were foreign-born with mostly no formal education, limited English proficiency, and no employment. The majority of the participants were insured and had a regular source of health care. The intervention group experienced greater changes after the intervention than the control group for ever-screening (P = .068) and being up-to-date with screening (P 4 times the odds of receiving screening, both ever-screening and up-to-date screening. A higher CRC knowledge score mediated the intervention effect for both screening outcomes. CONCLUSIONS A culturally and linguistically appropriate educational intervention delivered by trained LHEs was found to increase CRC screening in an immigrant population with low levels of education, employment, English proficiency, and literacy. Cancer 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes and the risk associated with BMI above the Asian cut-point of 23 in 4 Asian American communities. In a convenience sample of 981 Chinese, Hmong, Korean, and Vietnamese Americans in Sacramento County, California we measured hemoglobin A1c (HbAlc), height, weight, and waist circumference. Diabetes was defined as self-reported diabetes diagnosis or HbA1c≥6.5%, and pre-diabetes as HbAlc 5.7-6.4% with no diabetes diagnosis. We computed age-standardized prevalence of diabetes, pre-diabetes, and BMI and waist circumference above standard and Asian cut-points, and developed multivariable models of the association of diabetes and pre-diabetes with BMI and waist circumference. The 4 ethnic groups differed substantially with respect to diabetes prevalence, BMI, and waist circumference. Hmong had the highest prevalence of diabetes (15.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 10.7-19.4%). Diabetes and pre-diabetes were associated with BMI≥25 (diabetes: odds ratio [OR] 3.4, 95% CI 2.1-5.7; pre-diabetes: OR 4.0, 95% CI 2.7-5.8) or between 23 and 25 (diabetes: OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.1; pre-diabetes: OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.4). When waist circumference was added to the model, BMI effects were attenuated, and waist circumference ≥40 inches (men) or ≥35 inches (women) was associated with increased risk of diabetes (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.6-6.2) and pre-diabetes (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0-2.9). Our findings support the use of a BMI cut-point of 23 and the importance of central adiposity as a risk factor for diabetes in Asians. Diabetes risk reduction interventions for Asians are essential.

This qualitative study examines the social environmental influences on smoking and cessation from the perspectives of Chinese smokers and household nonsmokers in California. Seven focus groups were conducted with 63 participants. Three culturally influenced levels of potential intervention emerged from constant comparative analysis. At the individual level, participants focused more on irritating odor than health harms of exposure and had inaccurate beliefs about harms of smoking and cessation. At the relational level, peers kept smokers connected to pro-smoking norms. There was conflict in the home about smoking and failed cessation, but smokers recognized the benefits of cessation for family harmony and children's health. Physicians encouraged cessation but this tended to be insufficient to prompt action unless a smoker felt ill. At the societal level, participants recognized changes in social acceptability and environmental regulation of smoking upon immigration. Better implementation of smokefree policies, plus culturally nuanced strategies for equipping both nonsmokers and smokers to become smokefree, are needed.

Cancer is the leading cause of death among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs). In this report, the American Cancer Society presents AANHPI cancer incidence data from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Among AANHPIs in 2016, there will be an estimated 57,740 new cancer cases and 16,910 cancer deaths. While AANHPIs have 30% to 40% lower incidence and mortality rates than non-Hispanic whites for all cancers combined, risk of stomach and liver cancers is double. The male-to-female incidence rate ratio among AANHPIs declined from 1.43 (95% confidence interval, 1.36-1.49) in 1992 to 1.04 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.07) in 2012 because of declining prostate and lung cancer rates in males and increasing breast cancer rates in females. The diversity within the AANHPI population is reflected in the disparate cancer risk by subgroup. For example, the overall incidence rate in Samoan men (526.5 per 100,000) is more than twice that in Asian Indian/Pakistani men (216.8). Variations in cancer rates in AANHPIs are related to differences in behavioral risk factors, use of screening and preventive services, and exposure to cancer-causing infections. Cancer-control strategies include improved use of vaccination and screening; interventions to increase physical activity and reduce excess body weight, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption; and subgroup-level research on burden and risk factors. CA Cancer J Clin 2016;66:182-202. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Disparities in clinical research are well-documented, and part of the broader health care disparities we see as a byproduct of systemic and institutional racism. COVID-19 vaccine and treatment development has greatly amplified the need for all communities to have the same opportunity to participate in research. Lack of representation of minorities in lung cancer clinical trials have been reported over the past 20 years. We have previously reported that there is a disconnect between U.S. lung cancer clinical trials placement and where patients with lung cancer reside, especially racial minorities. Both NCCN and ASCO guidelines suggest that clinical trials be considered the standard-of-care for advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer and extensive-stage small cell lung cancer patients in first- and subsequent- line settings. In addition, participation in clinical trials has been associated with improved overall survival in lung cancer regardless of cancer stage, insurance and other prognostic factors. In order to provide better outcomes and achieve health equity for historically underserved populations, we must work together with all stakeholders to increase representation of diverse populations in lung cancer research. Our Question: What is a successful and sustainable multi-stakeholder framework that will result in inclusive lung cancer research in the US? Our methods will expand on previous work in the identification of notable practices where the focus was on successful pan-cancer inclusive clinical trial practices in 8 US cancer centers. We will include notable practices and recommendations of all stakeholders and focus on successful lung cancer inclusive research practices including behavioral research, community-based research and clinical research. We will conduct a robust environmental scan to identify strategies and standards, process and capabilities and roles. We will specifically identify tools and references to engage patients with lung cancer where applicable and interview identified experts based on practice themes representing all key stakeholder groups. Authors have identified 14 preliminary practice themes representing all key stakeholder groups to guide our framework development: Leadership & Goals; Protocol development; Operations and process; Data collection standards and reporting; Site selection, Health literacy & translation of recruitment materials including informed consent; Bilingual research staff; Community & Patient Engagement; PCP engagement; Digital capablities, Budget elements; Employee engagement and training; IRB Approval; Investigator meeting standards. Our framework is intended deliver the foundation for a theoretical underpinning of a evidenced based practical guide toward fostering collaboration amongst and between health care systems, academia, industry, health care leaders, PCPs, and patient organizations to promote successful inclusive research practices in lung cancer and will provide a roadmap for other disease areas. Citation Format: Jeanne M. Regnante, Narjust Duma, Quita Highsmith, David E. Gerber, Lorna McNeill, Upal Basu Roy, Gerren Wilson, Mary Stober Murray, Andrea A. Ferris, Fabian Sandoval, Moon S. Chen, Jr. A guide for development of a successful and inclusive lung cancer research strategy based on U.S. best practices [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-096.

Cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs), with over one-third of the AANHPI population residing in California and Hawai’i. Due to linguistic, cultural, and sociodemographic differences, cancer prevention, control, and treatment remains a challenge. These compounded factors hinder AANHPIs from seeking care or following through with provider’s recommendations as they experience high level of dissatisfaction in care, risk of misdiagnosis or ineffective treatment plans, resulting in low levels of engagement with the healthcare system. This has called for a need to create partnerships and improve coordination between community, primary care, and specialty care. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation’s Specialty Care for Vulnerable Populations initiative addresses inequities in access to and utilization of specialty care services by medically underserved and vulnerable populations in the US. The goal of this national initiative is to catalyze sustainable improvement and expansion of specialty care and health service delivery by safety net providers for people at high risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. In response to the cancer disparities and inequities faced by AANHPI populations, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation’s Specialty Care for Vulnerable Populations awarded 4 organizations $750,000 each to support 3 year health service delivery demonstration projects to improve access to quality cancer care, patient engagement, and supportive services to AANHPIs. Objectives for this session will be: • Describe the cancer disparities in Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) • Explain current research and new partnerships to improve cancer outcomes and access for AANHPIs • Disseminate different models of care bolstering community, primary care, and specialty care in AANHPI cancer patients This session will delve into the cancer disparities apparent in AANHPIs and highlight the 4 AANHPI-dedicated projects to create better coordination between community, primary care, and specialty care: 1. University of California Davis Cancer Center/Health & Life Organization 2. University of California San Francisco 3. University of California Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center 4. University of Hawai’i John A. Burns School of Family Medicine These projects include forming new partnerships between a NCI comprehensive cancer center + FQHC-lookalike; testing an in-person and virtual patient navigation portal; utilizing a hub-and-spoke model between primary care, FQHCs, and specialty care; and bolstering telehealth capabilities to train workers in USAPI territories and Hawai’i on cancer topics and services. Citation Format: Priscilla Ko, Patricia Doykos, Moon Chen, Scarlett Lin Gomez, Neal Palafox, Sora Park Tanjasiri. Developing community-primary care-specialty care partnerships to address cancer disparities in Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr B007.

Accelerating the uptake of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations is a priority for cancer prevention and an issue for mitigating cancer health disparities particularly among rural youth, both Native American and non-Native. The rate of HPV vaccinations for rural and Native adolescents is markedly lower than urban adolescents. Based on a Memorandum of Collaboration between the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and Northern Valley Indian Health (NVIH), a tribal health organization serving rural youth; funding from the National Cancer Institute; and the principles of community-based participatory research, we developed a multi-level approach to accelerate the HPV vaccination rates at the NVIH rural clinic in Willows, CA. Ultimately, the goal is to raise the HPV vaccination rates among patients ages 11-17 from the current 27% at this clinic to the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80%. Our presentation documents a year’s relationship-building that includes the intentional input and promising data from multiple levels for launching an accelerated HPV vaccination program, exemplifying the collaboration between NVIH and a NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center. Starting with community outreach and engagement, our multiple levels included provider and staff trainings; and parent workshops. We began by surveying 12 community members on their HPV vaccination knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors and learned that they had low knowledge of the HPV vaccine and stressed the importance of educating both the community as well as parents. We followed with training of 26 clinic providers and 44 staff (participants were from all four of NVIH’s medical clinics). Pre-tests were administered prior to the training and post-tests administered four months later. The training content had 3 objectives: (1) explaining the importance of HPV vaccinations and the rationale for vaccinating at ages 11-12; (2) providing an effective recommendation by clinicians; and (3) providing support to families to decide in favor of HPV vaccination. While there was attrition from pre to post tests, we achieved significant quantitative realignment of the rank order of HPV vaccination (from 3rd to most important) over other vaccinations and increased confidence in their ability to make a strong HPV vaccination recommendation (14% and 6% respectively). Interviews from parents provided insights on their perspectives of HPV vaccination that should be incorporated. Our next steps will be to apply these findings into a multi-pronged HPV vaccination intervention program for rural Native and non-Native adolescents. Citation Format: Julie HT Dang, Duke LeTran, Alexandra Gori, Arzoo Mojadedi, Teresa Martens, Sharon McClure, Inder Wadhwa, Chester Austin, Moon S Chen, Jr. A multilevel approach to accelerating the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at a rural clinic for Native and non-Native youth [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr C132.

Background: Implementation of screening recommendations for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) among foreign-born persons at risk has been sub-optimal. The use of alerts and reminders in the electronic health record (EHR) has led to increased screening for other common conditions. The aim of our study was to measure the effectiveness of an EHR alert on the implementation of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) screening of foreign-born Asian and Pacific Islander (API) patients. Methods: We used a novel technique to identify API patients by self-identified ethnicity, surname, country of origin, and language preference, and who had no record of CHB screening with HBsAg within the EHR. Patients with Medicare and/or Medicaid insurance were excluded due to lack of coverage for routine HBsAg screening at the time of this study. At-risk API patients were randomized to alert activation in their EHR or not (control). Results: A total of 2,987 patients met inclusion criteria and were randomized to the alert (n = 1,484) or control group (n = 1,503). In the alert group, 119 patients were tested for HBsAg, compared with 48 in the control group (odds ratio, 2.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.88–3.73; P < 0.001). In the alert group, 4 of 119 (3.4%) tested HBsAg-positive compared with 5 of 48 (10.4%) in the control group (P = 0.12). Conclusions: An EHR alert significantly increased HBsAg testing among foreign-born APIs. Impact: Utilization of EHR alerts has the potential to improve implementation of hepatitis B–screening guidelines. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(11); 1352–7. ©2018 AACR.

Background: In the United States, Korean immigrants experience a disproportionately high burden of chronic hepatitis B (HBV) viral infection and associated liver cancer compared with the general population. However, despite clear clinical guidelines, HBV serologic testing among Koreans remains persistently suboptimal. Methods: We conducted a cluster-randomized trial to evaluate a church-based small group intervention to improve HBV testing among Koreans in Los Angeles. Fifty-two Korean churches, stratified by size (small, medium, large) and location (Koreatown versus other), were randomized to intervention or control conditions. Intervention church participants attended a single-session small-group discussion on liver cancer and HBV testing, and control church participants attended a similar session on physical activity and nutrition. Outcome data consisted of self-reported HBV testing obtained via 6-month telephone follow-up interviews. Results: We recruited 1,123 individuals, 18 to 64 years of age, across the 52 churches. Ninety-two percent of the sample attended the assigned intervention session and 86% completed the 6-month follow-up. Sample characteristics included were as follows: mean age 46 years, 65% female, 97% born in Korea, 69% completed some college, and 43% insured. In an intent-to-treat analysis, the intervention produced a statistically significant effect (OR = 4.9, P < 0.001), with 19% of intervention and 6% of control group participants reporting a HBV test. Conclusion: Our intervention was successful in achieving a large and robust effect in a population at high risk of HBV infection and sequelae. Impact: The intervention was fairly resource efficient and thus has high potential for replication in other high-risk Asian groups. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(9); 1341–9. ©2015 AACR.

Biospecimens from racially diverse groups are needed to advance cancer research. The Asian American Cancer Education Study was developed to increase the number and proportion of blood biospecimen donations from Asian Americans for cancer research.The authors' targeted approach included 2 types of community engagement, in-reach (within institution to Asian American patients with cancer) and outreach (external to institution to the general Asian American community). Participants received in-language biospecimen education followed by the opportunity to donate blood biospecimens. Outreach participants donated through our community biospecimen blood drives, and in-reach participants consented to donating an extra tube of blood during their routine blood draws as a patient. Donated blood biospecimens were spun down to serum and plasma to be stored in a biorepository or were sent to the laboratory to test for cancer-related risk factors.Three hundred eighty-eight Asian Americans donated 1127 blood biospecimens for cancer research. Four hundred twenty tubes of plasma and serum are currently being stored at the cancer center's biorepository, 39 tubes have been used for cancer genomic research, and 668 tubes were used to characterize cancer-related risk factors.Building upon the past decade of the National Cancer Institute-funded Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research, and Training's foundation of trust and service among Asian Americans, researchers were able to leverage relationships not only to introduce the idea of biospecimen contribution to the community but to also exceed expectations with regard to the quantity of blood biospecimens collected from Asian Americans. Cancer 2018;124:1614-21. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

We conducted an experimental pilot study in an oncology clinic in Honolulu, Hawai‘i to determine the effect of a culturally-tailored educational DVD on cancer clinical trial participation among Filipino cancer patients. Thirty-seven patients participated in the study, with 17 randomized into the control group (ie, usual education) and 20 into the intervention group (ie, usual education plus educational DVD). Participants completed pre- and post-educational questionnaires with items asking about understanding of several cancer topics, behavioral outcomes, and attitudes regarding several treatment and physician related topics. A Fisher's exact test was conducted to explore the association between enrollment into a clinical trial and group assignment. General linear models were created to determine significant differences between study groups in post-education response scores for each questionnaire item after controlling for age, gender, education, and pre-education response scores. Two participants from the control group and three participants from the intervention group enrolled into clinical trials. Results showed no significant association between clinical trial enrollment and study group assignment (P > .99). A significant difference was found between study groups on surety of joining the clinical trial suggested to them (P = .013). A multilingual educational DVD to supplement clinical trial education may positively influence Filipino cancer patients to move forward with the decision to join a cancer clinical trial. However, health literacy may serve as a major barrier to actual enrollment into the particular clinical trial available to a patient.

Clinical research increasingly relies upon the availability of appropriate genetic materials; however, the proportion of biospecimens from racial/ethnic minority patients and healthy controls are underrepresented, which preclude equitable research across all patient groups for cancer treatment. National Cancer Institute-funded Community Network Program Centers in California, Florida, and New York collaborated with local community partners to conduct three independent formative research studies with diverse (African American, Asian American, Hispanic, and White) participants to explore their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about biobanking, and their experiences with the donation of biospecimens. Our findings demonstrated similarities in overall low knowledge and understanding about the use of biospecimens for research. This was exacerbated for non-English speakers. Racial and ethnic groups differed with regard to a number of factors that are obstacles for participation, e.g., continuing medical mistrust (African Americans), lack of benefit (Hispanics), apprehension about the physical toll of donating (Vietnamese), usage of biospecimen for research (Hmong and Chinese), and suspicion of exploitation by corporate entities (Whites). However, participants uniformly reported general interest and willingness to participate in biobanking for altruistic purposes, particularly to benefit future generations. This interest was framed with a strong admonition that donations should be accompanied by transparency about study sponsorship and ownership, distribution and use of biospecimens, and study information that fit participants' backgrounds and experiences. This cross-cultural regional analysis offers significant insights into the similarities and variations in opinions and perceptions about biobanking and the collection of biospecimens for use in cancer research.

Background To insure that NIH-funded research is relevant to the population’s needs, specific emphasis on proportional representation of minority/gender groups into National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) cancer centers’ clinical research programs is reported to the NCI.