LEADERSHIP 03
It is an honor to introduce this celebration and overview of the University of Hawai ‘ i ( UH ) Cancer Center ’ s first 50 years as Hawai ‘ i ’ s Cancer Center and 25 years as the only NCI-designated Cancer Center serving Hawai ‘ i and the U . S . -affiliated Pacific Islands ( USAPI ). The faculty and staff of the UH Cancer Center are committed to reducing the burden of cancer for the people of Hawai ‘ i and the USAPI . To accomplish this , we work tirelessly to understand the causes of cancer here in the islands , to use that knowledge to better prevent cancer , to bring in the very latest treatments and clinical trials for those diagnosed with cancer , and to develop the new diagnostics and treatments of tomorrow for those cancers where there are limited or no treatments yet available .
To prevent cancer , we must understand the genetic and environmental factors here in Hawai ‘ i that lead to higher risk of developing cancer . This is the focus of the epidemiologists in our Population Sciences in the Pacific Program . They also work to determine the reasons for the higher or lower incidences and mortality of certain cancers among the different ethnicities here . Our prevention and control researchers use that knowledge to create programs that are culturally attuned to the various ethnicities in the islands to educate our population on ways to detect and prevent cancer , such as smoking cessation programs . They also work with cancer survivors to help them thrive .
For those who are diagnosed with cancer , our clinical researchers in the Cancer Biology Program and our Clinical Trials Office work closely with our partners in the various hospitals of the Hawai ‘ i Cancer Consortium to identify and activate the best clinical trials here . This enables patients to get the latest and highest quality cancer care here at home among family and friends without the financial stresses of traveling to the mainland for treatment . Patients on clinical trials get the very finest standard of care and , in addition , receive the latest therapeutics that may become future standard treatments .
For those cancers for which we lack good early diagnostics or effective treatments , the researchers in our Cancer Biology Program are working to understand the molecular mechanisms that cause cancers and drive their progression , and then to use this information to devise new therapeutic drug leads and new diagnostics . This work includes searching the natural products made by the varied plants , fungi , and bacteria found only in Hawai ‘ i for new drug leads to treat cancer .
Finally , an essential part of the mission is to train the next generation of researchers and health care workers through the numerous educational programs we offer and the work of our faculty in the diverse undergraduate and graduate programs across the UH . Together we have committed our life ’ s work to reduce the number of people who get cancer , to better treatments for those who suffer from cancer , and to find the treatments and diagnostics of tomorrow for the people of Hawai ‘ i and the greater Pacific . We look forward to the next 50 years serving you .
Sincerely ,
JOE W . RAMOS , PHD
INTERIM DIRECTOR