THE UH CANCER CENTER HAS REACHED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE — 50 YEARS OF PROGRESSIVE CANCER RESEARCH IN HAWAI ‘ I !
This would not have been possible without the support of the Cancer Center ’ s many key stakeholders , community partners , donors , study participants , researchers and staff members , and friends .
Auspiciously , the UH Cancer Center ’ s Anniversary coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the National Cancer Act by President Richard Nixon on December 23 , 1971 . That legislation prioritized and confirmed the nation ’ s commitment to making progress against cancer and giving momentum to the federal government dedicating billions of dollars to cancer research .
The concept of a cancer research center in Hawai ‘ i began as early as 1963 when the National Cancer Institute recognized Hawai ‘ i as an epidemiologic resource for cancer studies with a grant to the UH School of Public Health to study cancer risk among Japanese migrants . This was the start of population studies that was the forerunner of epidemiology studies that became a cornerstone of the UH Cancer Center ’ s research .
CANCER RESEARCH HAS THRIVED AT THE UH CANCER CENTER UNDER ITS TWO PROGRAMS , CANCER BIOLOGY AND POPULATION SCIENCES IN THE PACIFIC , WHICH INCLUDES CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CANCER PREVENTION IN THE PACIFIC .
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The Cancer Biology Program studies cancer cell development and spread , identification of targets on cancer cells as potential treatment sites using genetic and biochemical approaches , and translating basic science discoveries for the clinical setting . Breast , liver , thyroid , pancreatic and colorectal cancers continue to be studied due to their high incidence in Hawai ‘ i .
Two notable and successful research studies in the Population Sciences in the Pacific program , ongoing for a collective 45 years , are the Multiethnic Cohort ( MEC ) Study , in collaboration with the University of Southern California and the Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity ( PIPCHE ), in partnership with the University of Guam . The MEC Study has provided significant discoveries on the risks for cancer and other chronic diseases and informed strategies to improve lives and prevent cancer and chronic diseases in vulnerable individuals . The PIPCHE promotes cancer health equity to lessen the impact of cancer on Pacific Island populations by increasing cancer research leadership and capacity in Hawai ‘ i , Guam and the U . S . Affiliated Pacific Islands .
The UH Cancer Center participates in clinical research and as an NCI-designated cancer center , patients in Hawai ‘ i are provided access to the latest cutting-edge treatments available . Clinical trials include therapeutic and non-therapeutic trials with state-of-the-art techniques and equipment , ranging from surgery , chemotherapy , radiation and the latest immunotherapy agents , all bringing advances to cancer care for Hawai ‘ i ’ s patients .
As the UH Cancer Center embarks on its next 50 years of progress in cancer research , we are humbled knowing that our journey has not been accomplished in a silo but with the shared vision and mission with our partners in Hawai ‘ i , the Pacific and across the U . S . and the globe for a cancer free world .