How can we reduce the risk of cancer and support those diagnosed?

Challenge

Although there has been tremendous progress in the fight against cancer in recent years, there are still millions of new cancer cases annually. The mission of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI’s) Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) is to reduce the number of people who get cancer and improve the lives of those who are diagnosed with cancer. This mission is advanced by working to:

• Prevent cancer. Identify and promote strategies that help people reduce cancer risk, such as tobacco cessation, healthy eating, and physical activity
• Detect cancer early. Increase the appropriate use of evidence-based screening, and identify and address barriers that prevent people from being screened
• Improve cancer treatments. Identify ways to provide care for people who do not have easy access to cancer treatment and reduce the side effects of cancer treatment
• Support people living with cancer. Identify ways to reduce the financial burden of a cancer diagnosis and improve how patients manage treatment side effects
• Support cancer survivors. Promote strategies that help cancer survivors manage the long-term effects of cancer and its treatment to improve their overall quality of life

Solution

Westat brings extensive cancer research expertise to support DCCPS objectives. Covering a wide range of cancer control research activities, Westat provides scientific research capabilities, including survey instrument development, data collection and data management, statistical analysis, program evaluation, literature review, and program support. Westat assists DCCPS with approximately 30 cancer control projects every year. Please see the following real-world examples of Westat’s work in this field.

Data Analysis

Westat is assisting NCI in combining and analyzing data from national datasets to identify behaviors and environments that can raise or lower a person’s risk of cancer. NCI will use these findings to inform how evidence-based cancer prevention and control interventions can be bundled in a coordinated manner to address multiple risk factors and changes in health behavior.

Potential data sources include the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Examples of risk factors that will be examined include tobacco use, alcohol use, high cholesterol, obesity status, mental health, and environmental toxin exposure. Westat is developing a cross-source inventory of measures, creating and implementing the analysis plan, and presenting findings to NCI.

Survey Development and Data Collection

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in technologies to screen for disease, summarize complex medical histories or test results, provide treatment recommendations, and help answer a variety of health-related questions. AI use is escalating at a rapid pace, but little is known about people’s experiences with AI in relation to their health, how it impacts patients’ interactions with the healthcare system, or how it affects people’s health-related decisions. Westat is working closely with NCI to survey the public on this cutting-edge topic. Westat assisted in developing an AI-specific survey instrument and will use it to field a web-based survey. Westat will conduct the data collection, clean the data, and submit the results to NCI.

Literature Reviews and Website Content Reviews

Although cancer survivors are living longer due to improvements in cancer treatment and supportive care, many continue to face physical and psychosocial effects from their disease and treatment, which impact the quality of their lives. NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, recognized for their first-class scientific research and cancer treatment, strive to provide resources and services that meet the unique needs of cancer survivors in their local communities. However, there is limited information on the extent to which these resources and services are offered.

To systematically address this question, Westat is working with NCI to examine the prevalence, implementation, and impact of evidence-based interventions for cancer survivors. Working with specific topics identified by NCI—such as physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol use, and mental health—Westat is conducting literature reviews and analyzing the content of NCI-Designated Cancer Center websites. This research will inform future initiatives to better understand the factors influencing the integration of evidence-based interventions in cancer care settings, with the goal of promoting healthy behaviors and optimal behavioral health among cancer survivors.

Results

DCCPS serves as a central source of federal expertise and evidence-based resources on issues such as cancer care quality, the economic impact of cancer, geographic information systems, statistical methods, communication science, obesity, and tobacco control. Westat plays an important role in DCCPS’s efforts to reduce the burden of cancer in the U.S. Together, DCCPS and Westat continue to conduct research that informs public health efforts, reduces cancer risk, and improves the lives of those affected by cancer.