Mays Cancer Center at UT Health SA

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Project Summary--Population Science and Prevention (PSP) Program The Population Science and Prevention (PSP) Program, co-led by Pratap Kumar, Ph.D. and Gail Tomlinson, M.D., Ph.D., has 29 members, representing 4 schools and 10 departments at the Mays Cancer Center (MCC) at the University of Texas Health San Antonio (UT Health SA). The primary focus of the PSP Program is collaborative research that addresses cancer risk and prevention to develop intervention strategies. Studies are focused on our overarching goal of reducing cancer burden in our 38-county catchment area. Our emphasis has been on improving cancer screening and detection, improving access to care, and translation prevention discoveries through interventional trials. These include behavioral interventions to improve cancer outcomes, incorporating community outreach and engagement of underserved populations. PSP members have: 1) Formulated a panel of patented biomarkers for predicting recurrent risk of prostate cancer; 2) Identified epigenotypes for stratifying an endometrial cancer subtype predominantly occurring in young, obese Hispanics; and 3) Shown that exposure to aflatoxin and hepatitis C virus may cause hepatocellular carcinoma in our catchment area and other Hispanic populations. Inter- and intra-programmatic efforts have found that: 1) Yoga- based exercise and nutritional interventions can reduce circulating inflammatory cytokines, thereby enhancing survival of breast cancer patients; and 2) Texting and mobile media services help Hispanic adolescent/young adults (AYAs) quit smoking in a cost-effective manner. Through our collaborative work, we have impacted the population across our geographic area (including rural and border regions): e.g. increased identification rates of those carrying hepatitis C, and increased HPV vaccine administration, genetic risk assessment and testing, and enhanced cancer screening in genetically at-risk populations. In the upcoming Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) cycle, we continue to address the disproportionate burden of cancer across the age continuum – children, AYAs, and adults – in our catchment area. Our Program’s Specific Aims are to: 1) Discover biomarkers to enhance early detection and recurrent prediction; 2) Translate evidence-based chemotherapeutic/ nutritional/behavioral strategies to interventional trials; and 3) Enhance quality of life for cancer survivors. These Specific Aims will be achieved by promoting intra- and inter-programmatic collaborations to translate findings into clinical interventions to benefit our population. PSP Program members hold 28 grants totaling $5.7M (direct costs), with 25% ($1.4M) from the NCI. Over the last reporting period, the PSP’s multidisciplinary investigators more than doubled their peer-reviewed publications (412 vs. 186). Of these, 21% are intra-programmatic, 14% inter-programmatic, 77% multi-institutional collaborations, and 53% with other NCI-designated Cancer Centers. In addition, 34% of PSP publications during this period were from journals with an impact factor >5. PSP members led 21 clinical research studies during 2018 and placed 171 patients on interventional studies and 332 on non-interventional studies. PSP members have used all six MCC core facilities, especially the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core. Initiatives are being generated by newly recruited PSP faculty whose skill sets enhance the Program scope and Specific Aims by cross-cutting translational working groups, and by close collaborations with the other MCC Programs and the UT Health SA scientific community.