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Cancer Disparities Center of Economic Excellence
University collaborators: Medical University of South Carolina (fiscal agent) University of South Carolina (collaborative partner) South Carolina State University (collaborative partner) About the CoEE: This CoEE will work to increase prostate cancer screening and early detection among African American men. The specific goals of the CoEE are 1) with partners throughout the state, to test methods of increasing African American participation in prostate cancer clinical trials; 2) to develop tools and techniques to increase early-detection screening of African American men for prostate cancer; and 3) to train students and junior faculty to conduct prostate cancer research in South Carolina. A major problem faced by prostate cancer researchers in South Carolina is the lack of inclusion of African Americans in the prostate cancer research being conducted. Despite the fact that prostate cancer mortality rates in South Carolina are three times greater for African Americans than for Caucasians according to the South Carolina Cancer Alliance, African Americans are significantly underrepresented in prostate cancer clinical trials. A common barrier to the development of new knowledge for medical problems affecting racially and ethnically diverse populations is the ability to enroll diverse patients in medical research. The AT&T Foundation gifted MUSC’s Hollings Cancer Center with $1 million to provide 500 African‐Americans in South Carolina with free prostate cancer screenings and to provide treatment advice and education for men who receive abnormal test results. This CoEE builds on existing strengths of MUSC, USC, and South Carolina State University. MUSC has excellent basic science faculty and a strong program in cancer prevention and control, including an outstanding cancer disparities component. USC and SCSU have strong research emphases on health disparities. Three endowed chairs will direct the research efforts of the center. All will have expertise in prostate cancer and prostate cancer clinical trials research. Funding level: CoEE endowed chairs:
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