Cancer Control Research Highlights
In observance of Cancer Control Month, established in 1943 to bring awareness to those battling cancer and cancer survivors, we’re highlighting some of the ongoing research by students and faculty in the department.
Malik Phillips, M.P.H.
PhD Candidate
Dissertation title: “Examining Patient–Provider Communication and Medical Mistrust Among Black Male Cancer Patients“
This qualitative study will include 50 Black male cancer patients from urban (n=25) and rural (n=25) localities in Virginia. Participants will be 18 years of age or older and currently receiving cancer treatment. Through semi-structured interviews, I will explore patients’ communication experiences during treatment, how trust is built with their oncologist, and how prior healthcare experiences influence their communication preferences. By completing this study, I hope to learn how medical mistrust influences communication preferences among Black male cancer patients and how these communication preferences differ by rurality.
mHealth communications to support self-management of pain and quality of life in cancer survivors
Funded by: Center for Research, Health, and Society
Principal investigator: Sunny Jung Kim, Ph.D., M.S., M.A.
Pain is a common burden among cancer survivors, with over half affected and 38% experiencing moderate to severe levels. This project will develop and evaluate an mHealth psychosocial tool to support pain self-management and enhance quality of life for survivors. Building on findings from our randomized message-testing experiment, we will deliver evidence-based intervention messages that provide education, personalized guidance, virtual support, and self-reflection assessments. Using innovative methods, our team will optimize digital health strategies to improve cancer pain management and advance translational research that promotes accessible, patient-centered care.
POWER: Prevention Outreach Wellness Engagement Resilience
Funded by: National Cancer Institute as part of the VA-ACCERT Center
Principal investigators: Jessica G. LaRose, Ph.D. (academic), Janet Plent, R.N. (community)
This is an NCI-funded community-engaged research project to address social drivers of cancer disparities among residents of income-based housing in Virginia and is part of the larger VA-ACCERT Center. We will partner with residents of 12 income-based housing communities to develop and test a multilevel intervention addressing four social drivers of health: food insecurity, health literacy, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. By addressing these factors at the individual, community, and organizational level, we aim to achieve sustainable improvements in two key cancer risk factors: nutrition quality and physical activity. For more information, visit www.accertpowerproject.org.
Virginia Tribal Nations T.R.U.T.H. Project
Funded by: Jeffress Trust
Principal investigator: Katherine Y. Tossas, Ph.D., M.S.
Building on the effective community-academic partnership established through the Chickahominy T.R.U.T.H. (Trust, Research, Understand, Teach, and Heal) Project, this initiative will expand to all 11 Tribal Nations across Virginia to collaboratively investigate the root cause of persistent cancer disparities facing Native Americans statewide, and critically, how to address them.
Using tailored mHealth strategies to promote weight management among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors
Funded by: National Cancer Institute
Principal investigators: Jessica G. LaRose, Ph.D., Carmina Valle, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Co-investigator: Autumn Lanoye, Ph.D.
This is a randomized clinical trial conducted in partnership with an AYA advisory board. The goal is to test the comparative efficacy of a comprehensive theory-based mHealth lifestyle intervention designed specifically for AYA survivors which includes tailored feedback based on behavioral patterns, cancer specific symptoms, and social drivers of health, compared to a self-guided control arm receiving digital tools, peer support, and education only. https://join-ayawell.org/
Behavioral Exercise Training to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Men Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy
Funded by: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Principal investigator: Alexander Lucas, Ph.D.
Cardiovascular disease is a primary competing cause of morbidity and mortality among older men diagnosed with prostate cancer, especially those treated with androgen deprivation therapy. Behavioral interventions to support the adoption and maintenance of exercise training may be a promising non-pharmacological approach to buffer the negative sequalae of treatment with ADT. Through the proposed research and training plan we will test whether a behavioral exercise training intervention, that can be remotely delivered to men across diverse settings, leads to favorable changes in exercise capacity, body composition and subclinical markers of cardiovascular function, that forecast future cardiovascular events.
To see more of our ongoing work, visit our website: https://sbs.vcu.edu/research/research/
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