Cancer in Older Minority Populations

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant) This application represents a partnership between Long Island University, a minority serving institution, and Columbia University?s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, dedicated to reducing the unequal cancer burden in minority communities. It builds upon an existing research collaboration and is designed to strengthen that partnership through a series of activities. Its research and training components will focus on older minority populations with regard to cancer, prevention and control: the goal is to use pilot projects and other activities to develop RO1s and other full-scale grants. The Principal Investigator is an oncologist/epidemiologist with a strong track record in cancer research, notably colon and breast cancers. He as established comprehensive community links with the African American (AA) and Dominican populations of North Manhattan. Much of his recent research has been based on these populations, focused on academic detailing to primary car physicians serving these communities. The Co-Principal Investigator has conducted several major population-based survey studies of older adult in Brooklyn?s large AA community, including depression, anxiety, coping and adaptation. This work has revealed striking social, cultural, and behavioral differences between US born AAs and African Caribbeans from the English and French-speaking islands, and is virtually unique in exploring differences between ethnic subgroups within the community. These two investigators have complement backgrounds and strengths; each has access to special populations. Because NYC as one of the largest and most ethnically diverse populations in the country, the Principal Investigators wish to meld their institutions strengths and resources, and their individual expertises, to explore cancer-related behavioral and sociocultural issues in NYC. In year 0l, the Principal Investigators will extend their current study of breast cancer screening to a Dominican sample, and will extend the Principal Investigator?s current studies of academic detailing to a Brooklyn-based population of physicians. Additionally, they plan retreats and workshops for researchers from both institutions and minority faculty interested in cancer research to familiarize one another with their past research, to consolidate their partnership, and to generate ideas for future pilot projects. In Years 02 and 03, pilot projects on a full range of sociocultural, behavioral and molecular epidemiologic topics which can profit from studying these ethnic subgroups will be solicited and reviewed for funding. Coordination of this P20 will be facilitated by the geographic proximity of the two institutions, their scientific strengths, and their commitment to similar programs.