RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN CANCER

Introduction
Involved Researchers
Ongoing Research
Recently Published Articles

South Carolina has some of the worst health indicators in the United States. For some conditions, including a number of cancers, we have some of the highest incidence rates in the world. Differences between mortality rates here and other places in the country and the world are even more striking.
While many South Carolinians know that rates of diabetes, many cancers, and stroke are elevated in our state, few understand just how pervasive the problem is and how little our understanding may be advanced by findings obtained from research conducted in other parts of the country or the world. While good scientific research is designed to produce results that can be generalized beyond the populations in which the studies were conducted (hence, the rationale for doing research in animals), it is clear that findings often fall short of the goal of being applicable everywhere.
No matter how well-meaning, research conducted elsewhere - or spearheaded by scientists based elsewhere - will not lead to practical advancement of knowledge as to why rates of important diseases are so much higher in South Carolina. Simply put: If we are not willing or able to understand – let alone solve – our problems, no one will be able to understand or solve them for us.
The Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the University of South Carolina is dedicated to discovering the underlying causes of large cancer disparities, especially those in African Americans in comparison to their European-American counterparts. The Program’s aim in discovery is to inform people and organizations who are willing and able to make a difference in the fight against cancer.

Involved Researchers:
Swann Adams Ph.D.
James Burch Ph.D.
James Hébert Sc.D.
Susan Steck Ph.D.
Dawen Xie Ph.D.

Ongoing Research:
COBRE: Center for Colon Cancer Research
Hebert, J. R. (Co-Core Director)
NIH/NCRR
October 01, 2002 – September 30, 2007
This grant establishes a Center for Colon Cancer Research, whose primary goal is to increase the competitiveness of young investigators through support for faculty development and enhancement of research infrastructure.

Gene-Nutrient Interactions and Breast Cancer
Susan Steck Ph.D. (PI)
National Cancer Institute/NIH
September 01, 2003 – August 31, 2008
The major goal of this training award is to obtain training in genetic epidemiology and survival analyses and conduct a research project to examine the interaction between cruciferous vegetable intake, polymorphisms in GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, and CYP1A1 and breast cancer risk, recurrence and survival in the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project.

Racial Differences in Prostate Cancer: Influence of Health Care Interaction and Host and Tumor Biology
Susan Steck Ph.D. (Consultant)
Department of Defense
September 01, 2003 – October 01, 2007
The purpose of this study is to examine the racial differences in dietary intake and tumor biology in men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. The candidate’s role on this project directly complements the K07 award goals: to examine the role of nutrition on tumor aggressiveness, which affects cancer survival.

Racial Differences in Lifestyle Modification in Men with Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer
Susan Steck Ph.D. (Consultant)
Department of Defense
September 30, 2004 – September 29, 2007
The specific aims for proposing a methodology for developing, validating and evaluating an informed decision-making process for the African-American population.

Informed Decision Making for Prostate Cancer
Hebert, J. R. (PI)
Department of Defense
July 01, 2004 – December 30, 2007
The goal of this project is to examine whether dietary changes are related to serum PSA levels in men recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. This Scholar Award builds upon a key area of the PI’s K07 Award: the role of nutrition in cancer survival.

South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Networks (SCCDCN)
Hebert, J. R. (PI)
NIH/NCI
May 01, 2005 – March 31, 2010
Purpose: The overall goal of the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Network (SCCDCN) is to develop and increase capacity to support community-based participatory education, research, and training to reduce cancer health disparities in South Carolina (SC).

Market Requisition for Specialized Work Related to Diet Coordinating/ Analysis Center – NCI Behavior Change Consortium
Hebert, J. R. (PI)
NCI
October 03, 2005 – October 02, 2007
Purpose: Effort focus on final cross-site, analyses of dietary and other data from the seven centers that are part of the Behavior Change Consortium (Harvard University, Emory University/University of Michigan, University of Rochester, University of Rhode Island, Oregon Health Sciences University, Oregon Research Institute, and Illinois Institute of Technology).

Relationship Between Serum and Breast Tissue Vitamin D Metabolites and Genetic Polymorphisms by Race
Susan Steck Ph.D. (PI)
South Carolina Cancer Center Seed Grant
April 01, 2006 – October 31, 2007
The goals of this project are to 1) examine the correlation between vitamin D metabolites in serum and breast tissue, and whether the absolute amounts and the correlations differ by race; 2) determine the allele, genotype, and haplotype frequencies of five CYP24A1 polymorphisms and three CYP27B1 polymorphisms by race; and 3) examine the association between serum and tissue concentrations of vitamin D metabolites and CYP24A1 and CYP27B1 polymorphisms using biologic specimens in the South Carolina Cancer Center Tissue Bank.

South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Network – Research Supplement in Health Policy for Dr. Keith Elder
Hebert, J. R. (PI) (mentor)
NIH/NCI
May 01, 2006 – April, 30, 2008
Purpose: The overall goal of this supplement is to work with Dr. Keith Elder in a mentored program to increase the capacity of the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Network (SCCDCN) in the health policy arena.

Role of Circadian Disruption in Polyp Formation and Recurrence.
Burch, James (PI)
Department of Veteran’s Affairs
May 31, 2006 – June 1, 2008
This study will test two hypotheses: 1.) circadian disruption is associated with colorectal polyp development, and 2.) melatonin administration prevents polyp recurrence. A prospective, double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized clinical trial will determine whether evening melatonin administration normalizes circadian disruption and reduces polyp recurrence rates. This study will characterize circadian disruption at the molecular level by sequencing genetic susceptibility markers in circadian clock and melatonin genes. At the population level, we will identify individual and social determinants of circadian disruption, and determine whether factors eliciting circadian disruption differ among African and European American groups.

A Pilot and Feasibility Study of Ethnic Differences In Interval Diagnosed Breast Cancers In South Carolina
Adams, S. A. (PI)
South Carolina Cancer Center
April 1, 2006 – September 30, 2007
The goal of this investigation is to conduct a pilot study to describe and compare detection patterns of breast cancers and their related histopathology among AA and EA women in South Carolina.

South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Network – Research Supplement in Psychoneuroimmunology for Dr. Cheryl Armstead
Hebert, J. R. (PI) (mentor)
NIH/NCI
October 01, 2006 – September 30, 2008
Purpose: The goal of the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Network (SCCDCN) is to develop and increase capacity to support community-based participatory education, research, and training to reduce cancer health disparities in South Carolina (SC).

Epigenetics and Diet in the Carcinogenesis Process
Susan Steck Ph.D. (PI)
USC Research Opportunity Program
April 01, 2007 – June 30, 2008
The goal of this pilot project is to recruit individuals from a local South Carolina gastroenterology clinic into an epidemiologic study examining the role of DNA methylation in colorectal cancer and the associations between specific dietary factors and DNA methylation of genes related to the carcinogenesis process.

A Pilot Investigation of Ethnic Disparities in Patient-Initiated Premature Treatment Discontinuation Among Colon Cancer Patients
Adams, S. A. (PI), Hebert, J. R. (mentor)
NIH/NCI
April 2, 2007 – April 1, 2009
With this investigation, we seek to explore ethnicity-stratified rates and determinants of patient-initiated premature discontinuation of chemotherapeutic treatment among colon cancer patients.

Impact of Colonoscopies Performed by Primary Care Physicians.
Hebert, J. R. (PI)
Burch, James (Scientific Advisor)
National Cancer Institute
June 1, 2007 – May 31, 2008
This project will examine the quality and effectiveness of screening colonoscopies performed by primary care physicians among African and European American patients. The impact of training African American physicians on patient compliance per American Cancer Society’s recommendations will also be examined.

recently published articles:
Gong Z, Hebert JR, Bostick RM, Deng Z, Hurley TG, Dixon DA, Nitcheva D, Gong Y, Xie D. Common polymorphisms in 5- and 12-lipoxygenase genes with risk of incident, sporadic colorectal adenoma. Cancer 2007;109(5):849-857.

Lloyd SC, Harvey NR, Hebert JR, Daguise V, Williams D, Scott DB. Racial disparities in colon cancer. Primary care endoscopy as a tool to increase screening rates among minority patients. Cancer 2007;109(2suppl): 378-385.

Steck SE, Gammon MD, Hebert JR, Wall DE, Zeisel SH. GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1 and GSTA1 polymorphisms and urinary isothiocyanate metabolites following broccoli consumption in humans. J Nutr 2007; 137(4):904-909.

Fink, B.N., Steck, S.E., Wolff, M.S., Britton, J.A., Teitelbaum, S.L., Kabat, G.C., Schroeder, J.C., Neugut, A.I., and Gammon, M.D. Dietary flavonoid intake and breast cancer risk among women on Long Island. American Journal of Epidemiology, 165(5):514-23, 2007.

Steck, S.E., Gaudet, M.M., Eng, S.M., Britton, J.A., Teitelbaum, S.L., Neugut, A.I., Santella, R.M., and Gammon, M.D. Cooked meat and risk of breast cancer: Lifetime versus recent dietary intake. Epidemiology,18(3):373-83, 2007.

Burch JB, Walling M, Rush A, Hennesey M, Craven W, Finlayson C, Anderson BO, Cosma G, Wells R. Melatonin and Estrogen in Breast Cyst Fluids. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 103:331-41. 2007.