The African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3) for the study of genetic and viral/environmental cancer risk factors in populations of African descent

A59 Between 1990 and 2010, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) predicts a 60% increase in the number of cancer deaths in developing countries, versus a 30% increase in developed countries. Cancer is among the top five leading causes of death in the Caribbean islands and Africa. In the United States (US), cancer mortality rates are highest among African Americans. For several years, ongoing collaborations on prostate, breast and cervical cancer have been conducted by faculty at the University of Pittsburgh in collaboration with investigators from University and Centers located in the Caribbean islands and Africa. In an effort to narrow the disparities in these populations, the African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3) was constituted in May 2007 as part of the Caribbean Health Research Council, 52 nd Annual Council and Scientific Meeting. Currently, ongoing studies conducted by the AC3 members include prostate cancer studies in Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Nigeria; cervical cancer studies in Jamaica, Tobago and Nigeria; a breast cancer study in Nigeria; the Barbados National Cancer Study (of prostate and breast cancers) in Barbados; studies of cancer risk among immigrant Caribbean populations in New York; investigations of the perception of the HPV vaccine (in the Caribbean and US); and assessments of current screening programs for common cancers in St. Kitts and Nevis. The overall purpose of the AC3 is to provide a forum for the development and coordination of collaborations between the investigators from the US, Caribbean and Africa to study viral, genetic and environmental cancer risk factors across these minority populations. The Consortium will hold a conference in the Spring of 2008, aimed at bringing together faculty members from US institutions as well as those from Universities and Centers in the Caribbean islands and Africa. The primary goal of this conference is to develop new collaborative studies between the consortium members. The conference will serve as a medium for the participating investigators to 1) present their data 2) describe the health resources, screening and other preventive activities present in their country and 3) to formally discuss the coordination of future collaborations in order to conduct studies of cancer risk across these minority populations. The data that will be presented at this meeting would support initial proposals for studies focusing on viruses and cancer, particularly cervical and prostate cancer. However, the goal is to develop into a broad-based resource for studies related to all aspects of the etiology, prevention and treatment of cancer in these populations. The AC3 will address a significant need for studies related to cancer in individuals of African descent. Such a forum will lead to the development of pooled and/or multi-centered studies for the investigation of cancer in minority populations where cancer research is limited. The opportunities for expanding collaborative studies involving populations of African descent will advance scientific knowledge of the roles that viral and other environmental risk factors, along with genetic risk factors play in cancer etiology among minority populations. The AC3 conference is funded by the NIH/R13 CA130596A and also in part by the NIH/NCRR 1KL2 RR024154-02 awards.