Africa Hepatopancreatobiliary Cancer Consortium

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ABSTRACT Hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers are a group of rapidly fatal malignancies with poorly understood etiology and biology. These cancers are often diagnosed at a late stage, after the primary tumor has spread to adjacent or distant organs, precluding curative therapy. Africans have higher incidences of these cancers than Americans, Asians, or Europeans. Africans are also more likely to be diagnosed with these cancers at younger ages and have a higher mortality from these cancers than many other racial/ethnic groups worldwide. Significant limitations to the advancement of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer research in Africa are limited continuous training in emerging research among clinicians and scientists, limited diagnostic capabilities, and the modest resources allocated to the liver, biliary and pancreatic cancer research despite the growing public health burden attributable to these cancers. To address the increasing problem of higher incidence and mortality of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers in Africa, there is a pressing need to (1) identify and empower emerging cancer researchers and clinicians with the most current knowledge and research skills in the field to contribute meaningfully to understanding the etiology and prognostic factors associated with these cancers, and (2) help develop sustainable, practical actions for early diagnosis and to reduce the incidence and mortality of these cancers in Africa. There an urgent need to harness our collective expertise and resources in the United States with African investigators to advance the science of hepatopancreatobiliary cancers in Africa. This proposal will organize a series of workshops on scientific research in hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers led by experts in the field. The workshops will comprise of knowledge delivering lectures on the pathobiology of these cancers, design appropriate research experiments specific to hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers, manuscript writing workshops, designing joint research projects among investigators in African and the United States, project management training for research coordinators, and training in new laboratory techniques/technology. At the conclusion of the three-year R13 grant, we will have enhanced the expertise in Africa and the United States to address the perennially high mortality rates of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers. Through this project, we will develop a vibrant and collaborative group of investigators in Africa, equipped with the skills to meaningfully contribute to advancing the science of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers. The expected deliverable also includes joint publications and joint grant applications among African and American investigators to augment the research collaboration that will be achieved under this R13 application. The results of our research collaborations will improve the understanding of the etiological factors, biology, and outcomes of hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers in African and African-descent populations in the United States.