Cancer

Clark Atlanta University and Hampton University:  Scope and Content of an Epidemiological Profile of African-African Prostate Cancer Survivors        

The number of cancer survivors in the United States has increased, the  majority (93%) of prostate cancers are discovered in the local or regional stages, for which the 5-year relative sur­vival rate approaches 100%.  One understudied cancer for which both the incidence and survival rates are increasing is prostate cancer, specifically in African-American men.  An estimated 238,590 new cases of prostate cancer will occur in the US during 2013. For reasons that remain unclear, incidence rates are 70% higher in African Americans than in whites.  The Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Development (CCRTD) at Clark Atlanta University will create a unique prostate cancer registry that will capture the African-American survivor’s epidemiological profile, clinical disease information, and data regarding their experiences throughout the prostate cancer continuum.  A comprehensive recruitment strategy will be developed to reach and encourage the participation of prostate cancer survivors.  The registry will be accessible online on CCRTD’s webpage.  The following  proposed project aims to identify strategies  will ensure quality services throughout the course of survivorship:

Aim 1:  Providing a better understanding of how a pilot survey could be adapted to create an effective registry of African-American men affected by prostate cancer.

Aim 2:  Fueling greater understanding of the social and emotional needs of minority prostate cancer survivors.

Aim 3:  Leveraging findings and positively impacting prostate cancer care by developing resources that will help improve long-term quality care.

The vision of this proposed study is to provide prostate cancer survivors a unified voice to advance the understanding and challenges that universally affect African American survivors.  Individuals that are affected by prostate cancer can become more informed and be active in making decisions within the context of a supportive community that can  possibly lead to improved quality of life and enhanced possibility of survivorship.  It is our hope that the findings from the proposed project will provide support and empower survivors as they transition from active treatment to post-treatment.

Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute (HUPTI) is the largest in the world.  It is one (1) of only eight (8) in the United States and the only one currently in the State of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic states.  The efficacy of proton therapy has been recognized by some of the top cancer centers in the country.  Utilizing the Clark Atlanta University model, Hampton University will establish the proton prostate cancer registry, which will initially follow all of the patients who have been treated for prostate cancer at HUPTI. Capitalizing further on Hampton’s experiences with proton therapy, university researchers have developed a unique research project examining three alternative methods associated with the treatment of prostate cancer in minority men:

Method 1:  Researchers will participate in the Proton Consortium Protocol investigating a novel combination of radiation and chemotherapy in the treatment of high risk prostate cancer.

Method 2:  Popular forms of meditation such as transcendental meditation and Benson’s Relaxation Response, Mindfulness Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong are increasingly used as a complementary mind/body therapeutic strategy for cancer and other illnesses.  Researchers aim to determine the impact of these methods on outcomes associated with proton therapy treatment in African American males with prostate cancer.

Method 3:  Researchers will test if cholesterol lowering increases the effectiveness and whether elevated cholesterol reduces the effectiveness of proton beam therapy. 

Key People

Investigators