In the United States, variation in cancer incidence and mortality rates exist across racial/ethnic groups in ways that are complex and incompletely understood. Variation in known risk factors such as exposure to infectious agents and lifestyle choices such as smoking may help explain some cancer disparities. However, it is increasingly evident that in order to grasp the underpinnings of many cancer disparities, we need to recognize the potential contribution of a broad spectrum of factors that range from the micro (i.e., molecular) to the macro (i.e., geo-societal) level. In this symposium, we will examine multiple potential drivers of racial disparities in cancer, in a progression from the highly biological to the societal/contextual. In this way we hope to share current information on the state of cancer disparities research across disciplines and to inspire critical thinking regarding new research questions and the design of future studies.
- Symposium Introduction, Lisa Signorello, Harvard School of Public Health
- Tumor molecular heterogeneity and breast cancer disparities - Melissa Troester, University of North Carolina
- Overcoming Disparities in Lymphoma Outcomes: From Social Support to Novel Therapeutics - Christopher Flowers, Emory University School of Medicine
- Accounting for context: social and built environment and disparities in cancer risk and outcomes - Scarlett Lin Gomez, Cancer Prevention Institute of California
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