The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) has published a supplemental issue of Cancer Causes and Control to mark the Network’s 20th anniversary.
The supplement is separated into five subthemes: (1) Addressing Equity Through CPCRN, (2) Capacity Building, (3) Partnership Engagement, (4) Rural Cancer Prevention and Control, and (5) Future Cancer Needs and Priorities. The 21 articles co-written by Network members, partners, and affiliates detail frameworks to address disparities in cancer prevention, strategies to build capacity and engagement across community partners, and considerations on working with medically underserved populations, such as rural and bicultural communities.
The closing article, titled “The Special Sauce of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network: 20 years of Lessons Learned in Developing the Evidence Base, Building Community Capacity and Translating Research into Practice”, describes the nature and extent of collaborations within CPCRN publications and illustrates the strategies, expertise, and key structures and processes that have enabled CPCPN’s work.
The supplement was guest-edited by CPCRN members, Drs. Prajakta Adsul (University of New Mexico), Cam Escoffery (Emory University), Aaron Seaman (University of Iowa), Cynthia Thomson (University of Arizona), and Stephanie Wheeler (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).
“Together, these articles represent the tremendous breadth and depth of CPCRN research products in the current funding cycle,” said Dr. Stephanie Wheeler, Principal Investigator (PI) of the CPCRN coordinating center. “Our members have been able to generate and sustain an impressive number of novel research ideas that they have then executed through projects which have helped transform the science of cancer prevention and control. From studies focused on reducing cancer risk exposure to ensuring timely cancer screening and early detection all the way through to optimizing guideline-concordant treatment and survivorship care, our members are invested in leveraging collaborative wisdom with community partners to achieve the best possible cancer health outcomes for all.”
Since 2004, the University of North Carolina has been home to the CPCRN Coordinating Center, and one of the Network Centers, the Comprehensive Cancer Control Collaborative of North Carolina (4CNC), both housed in the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP). The Coordinating Center and 4CNC are proud to have played an integral part in the writing and release of this supplement.
“This 20th anniversary supplement highlights the breadth and impact of the CPCRN,” said Dr. Alison T. Brenner, MPI of 4CNC. “Collaborations across the country include a distinct focus on equity in all aspects of cancer control work – workforce development through the CPCRN scholars program; capacity building and implementation support to under-resourced safety-net health care facilities, and the development and implementation of equity-informed interventions for cancer control.”
“A commitment to health equity is at the core of CPCRN,” added Dr. Rachel Hirschey, MPI of 4CNC. “The articles in this supplement reflect our ongoing efforts to drive change, providing insights and tools to empower researchers, practitioners and communities to actively engage in the pursuit of equitable cancer prevention, care and improved outcomes.
Six articles were led by 4CNC investigators and staff (Alison T. Brenner, Rachel Hirschey, Meghan C. O’Leary, and Mary Wangen), and 19 articles had at least one co-author from 4CNC or the Coordinating Center (Catherine Rohweder, Stephanie Wheeler, Caitlin B. Biddell, Alexa L. Young, Rebecca J. Lee, Jennifer Leeman, Daniel S. Reuland, Austin R. Waters, Olufeyisayo Odebunmi, Macary Weck Marciniak, and Renée M. Ferrari).“It is wonderful to imagine what this network will be able to accomplish in the next 20 years,” said Dr. Brenner.
“CPCRN is the largest and longest-running thematic research network supported by CDC’s Prevention Research Centers Program,” said Lisa C. Richardson, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. “Over the past two decades, CPCRN has played a critical role in creating and translating the evidence of what works into practice, with an emphasis on alleviating differences in cancer outcomes for all populations.”
Reflecting on how the Network’s partnerships have impacted communities and policies in the past two decades, Dr. Wheeler said, “It’s really about three key elements—the power of people from diverse backgrounds, working within carefully designed structures and processes, who are willing to adapt, to real-world challenges like COVID19, to see beyond one research project, and to think about systems transformation that can bring about larger change.”
The supplement has been published open access by SpringerNature and the full issue is available for download. Articles included in the supplement can also be individually downloaded by following the links below:
Introductory Article
- Twenty years of collaborative research to enhance community practice for cancer prevention and control Arica White, Susan A. Sabatino, Mary C. White, Cynthia Vinson, David A. Chambers & Lisa C. Richardson
Sub-Theme 1: Addressing Equity Through CPCRN
- Principles to operationalize equity in cancer research and health outcomes: lessons learned from the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network Perla Chebli, Prajakta Adsul, Julie Kranick, Catherine L. Rohweder, Betsy C. Risendal, Emily Bilenduke, Rebecca Williams, Stephanie Wheeler, Simona C. Kwon & Chau Trinh-Shevrin
- From study plans to capacity building: a journey towards health equity in cancer survivorship Prajakta Adsul, Jessica D. Austin, Perla Chebli, Emanuelle M. Dias, Rachel Hirschey, Priyanka Ravi, Aaron T. Seaman, Rosi Vogel
- Identifying research practices toward achieving health equity principles within the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network
Prajakta Adsul, Jessica Islam, Perla Chebli, Julie Kranick, Sarah Nash, Hannah Arem, Stephanie Wheeler, Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, Victoria Foster, Rashmi K. Sharma, Tisha Felder, Betsy Risendal, Enmanuel A. Chavarria, Simona Kwon, Rachel Hirschey & Chau Trinh-Shevrin - Measuring and addressing health equity: an assessment of cancer center designation requirements Jason T. Semprini, Caitlin B. Biddell, Jan M. Eberth, Mary E. Charlton, Sarah H. Nash, Katherine A. Yeager, Donoria Evans, Purnima Madhivanan, Heather M. Brandt, Natoshia M. Askelson, Aaron T. Seaman & Whitney E. Zahnd
- Supporting implementation science and health equity in cancer prevention and control through research networks Prajakta Adsul, Stephanie B. Wheeler, Alexa L. Young, Rebecca J. Lee & Heather M. Brandt
Sub-Theme 2: Capacity-Building
- Twenty years of capacity building across the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network Mary Wangen, Cam Escoffery, Maria E. Fernandez, Daniela B. Friedman, Peggy Hannon, Linda K. Ko, Annette E. Maxwell, Courtney Petagna, Betsy Risendal, Catherine Rohweder & Jennifer Leeman
- Mixed methods evaluation of the inaugural year of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network’s (CPCRN) scholars program Cam Escoffery, Courtney N. Petagna, Mary Wangen, Kimberly J. Flicker, Samuel B. Noblet, Mayank Sakhuja, Cynthia A. Thomson, Elaine H. Morrato, Swann Adams, Jennifer Leeman & Daniela B. Friedman
- Implementation studio: implementation support program to build the capacity of rural community health educators serving immigrant communities to implement evidence-based cancer prevention and control interventions Linda K. Ko, Thuy Vu, Sonia Bishop, Jennifer Leeman, Cam Escoffery, Rachel L. Winer, Miriana C. Duran, Manal Masud & Yaniv Rait
- Optimizing process flow diagrams to guide implementation of a colorectal cancer screening intervention in new settings Meghan C. O’Leary, Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Daniel S. Reuland, Alison T. Brenner, Alexis A. Moore, Shana Ratner, Sarah A. Birken & Stephanie B. Wheeler
Sub-Theme 3: Partnership Engagement
- Patient preferences for the design of a pharmacy-based colorectal cancer screening program Alison T. Brenner, Austin R. Waters, Mary Wangen, Catherine Rohweder, Olufeyisayo Odebunmi, Macary Weck Marciniak, Renée M. Ferrari, Stephanie B. Wheeler & Parth D. Shah
- A practical method for integrating community priorities in planning and implementing cancer control programs Emily Bilenduke, Andrea J. Dwyer, Elsa S. Staples, Kristin Kilbourn, Patricia A. Valverde, Maria E. Fernández & Betsy C. Risendal
- Uptake of colorectal cancer screening after mailed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) outreach in a newly eligible 45–49-year-old community health center population Meghan C. O’Leary, Daniel S. Reuland, Sara Y. Correa, Alexis A. Moore, Teri L. Malo, Xianming Tan, Catherine L. Rohweder, Stephanie B. Wheeler & Alison T. Brenner
Sub-Theme 4: Rural Cancer Prevention and Control
- Engaging stakeholders in the use of an interactive simulation tool to support decision-making about the implementation of colorectal cancer screening interventions Meghan C. O’Leary, Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Maria E. Mayorga, Karen Hicklin, Melinda M. Davis, Alison T. Brenner, Daniel S. Reuland, Sarah A. Birken & Stephanie B. Wheeler
- Losing a part of life: experiences of cancer survivors accessing treatment and sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic Karen E. Wickersham, Kristin E. Morrill, Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, Sue P. Heiney, Jaron J. King, Purnima Madhivanan & Rachel Hirschey
- Prioritizing rural populations in state comprehensive cancer control plans: a qualitative assessment Rachel Hirschey, Catherine Rohweder, Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan M. Eberth, Prajakta Adsul, Yue Guan, Katherine A. Yeager, Heidi Haines, Paige E. Farris, Jennifer W. Bea, Andrea Dwyer, Purnima Madhivanan, Radhika Ranganathan, Aaron T. Seaman, Thuy Vu, Karen Wickersham, Maihan Vu, Randall Teal, Kara Giannone, Alison Hilton, Allison Cole, Jessica Y. Islam & Natoshia Askelson
- Effect of rurality and travel distance on contralateral prophylactic mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer Madison M. Wahlen, Ingrid M. Lizarraga, Amanda R. Kahl, Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan M. Eberth, Linda Overholser, Natoshia Askelson, Rachel Hirschey, Katherine Yeager, Sarah Nash, Jacklyn M. Engelbart & Mary E. Charlton
- Multi-level predictors of being up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Sarah D. Mills, Tzy-Mey Kuo, Chris D. Baggett & Stephanie B. Wheeler
Sub-Theme 5: Future Cancer Needs and Priorities
- Re-visiting the Call for Translation of Cancer Survivorship Research: Collaborative Multidisciplinary Approaches to Improve Translation and Dissemination Betsy Risendal, Cynthia A. Thomson, Aaron Seaman, Rachel Hirschey & Linda Overholser
- Equitable implementation of lung cancer screening: Avoiding its potential to mirror existing inequities among people who use tobacco
Emily Bilenduke, Shacoria Anderson, Alison Brenner, Jessica Currier, Jan M. Eberth, Jaron King, Stephanie R. Land, Betsy C. Risendal, Jackilen Shannon, Leeann N. Siegel, Mary Wangen, Austin R. Waters, Whitney E. Zahnd & Jamie L. Studts
Closing Article
- The special sauce of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network: 20 years of lessons learned in developing the evidence base, building community capacity, and translating research into practice Stephanie B. Wheeler, Rebecca J. Lee, Alexa L. Young, Adam Dodd, Charlotte Ellis, Bryan J. Weiner, Kurt M. Ribisl, Prajakta Adsul, Sarah A. Birken, María E. Fernández, Peggy A. Hannon, James R. Hébert, Linda K. Ko, Aaron Seaman, Thuy Vu, Heather M. Brandt & Rebecca S. Williams