Building Bridges to Optimum Health
Prevention, Treatment and
Control of Cancer in Our
Community
Loker Conference Room, California Science Center 700 State Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037
Friday, June 3, 2011, 8:00-3:30PM
Program
Sponsored by
The Center to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities at the Charles R. Drew University Division
of Cancer Research and Training and the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center,
Healthy African-American Families II, and the Accelerating Excellence in Translational
Science (AXIS) Center at Charles R. Drew University, and the support of the American Cancer
Society.
NIH/NCI # 5 U54 CA143931-02, NIH # 1 U54 RR026138-02
8:00-8:30
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30-8:45
Welcome: Ms. Loretta Jones, MA, Founder and CEO of Healthy African-American Families
Dr. Keith Norris, MD, Professor and Vice-President for Research Charles R. Drew University
Dr. Judith Gasson PhD, Professor and Director, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David
Geffen School of Medicine
8:45-8:50
Invocation: Pastor Rhonda Santifer, Celebrate Life Cancer Ministry
8:50-9:00
Overview: Community Academic Council-Conference Co-Chairs
Ms. Aziza Lucas-Wright, M.Ed. and
Dr. Roberto Vargas MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine
9:00-9:30
Pre-Conference Survey: Informed Consent, and Q&A Community Academic Council-Evaluation
Co-Chairs Dr. Mohsen Bazargan, PhD, Associate Professor Director of Research Department of
Family Medicine Charles R. Drew University, Ms. Loretta Jones and Dr. Roland Holmes, PhD;
9:30-10:45
Panel discussion: Patient, Provider and Researcher Experiences
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Mr. Clarence Williams, Cancer Survivor
Monica Rosales Ph.D., City of Hope Center of Community Alliance for Research and Education
Ms. Eillene Valencia, Cancer Survivor
Ms. Martha Navarro L.A. Care, Patient Navigator
Ms. Kupaji Jaliwa, Caregiver
10:45-11:00
11:00-11:45
Break
Plenary #1: “Survivorship the New Normal: My Journey as a Cancer Survivor and the
Development of a Multicultural Program to Support the Quality of Life after Cancer Diagnosis
for Vulnerable Populations in Los Angeles"” Pastor Rhonda Santifer, Celebrate Life Cancer
Ministry
11:45-12:00
12:00-1:00
Audience Response System Session #1 and raffle
Lunch
1:00-1:45
Plenary Speaker #2 "Lessons Learned from Urban Latino African American
Cancer Disparities Project." Dr. Oscar Streeter, MD, Professor and Chair,
Department of Radiation Oncology, Howard University School
of Medicine and Science
1:45-2:00
Audience Response System Session #2 and raffle
2:00-3:15
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3:15-3:30
Breakout Sessions:
Dealing with a new diagnosis of cancer: Rev. Dr. Clyde Oden, Jr., OD, MPH, MBA, MDiv -(Cancer
survivor), Pastor of Bryant Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church; Dr. Sheilah Clayton, Breast
Surgeon, Martin Luther King- Multi-Service Ambulatory Care Center
Patients currently in cancer treatment and survivorship, Ms. Kupaji Jaliwa (Caregiver) and Dr. Ram
Chillar, Medical Oncologist, Associate Professor, UCLA and CDU, Attending Physician, LAC-USC
Medical Center, Los Angeles and Hematologist-Oncologist at Riverside Cancer Clinic
Cancer prevention and evidence-based practices to improve screening: Dr. David Martins, MD, Internal
Medicine Charles Drew University and Ms. Briana Lawrence, MPH
Health care access and dealing with financial stresses of a cancer diagnosis: Ms. Anya Prince, attorney
Cancer Legal Resource Center and Ms. Helene Campbell, The Campbell Agency, Los Angeles
Post survey, conference evaluation and raffle, wrap up, closing remarks
This conference has been sponsored with the support of the Cancer Community Outreach, Prevention and
Control Program (Program 3) of the National Cancer Institute funded Charles R. Drew University of Medicine
and Science and UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Partnership to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities.
(U54 CA 143931)
The aims of the Program are to:
1) Expand existing community partnerships to include a focus on cancer awareness, prevention and control
2) Enhance community and university capacity and relationships to support cancer education, information
dissemination and cancer prevention and control.
3) Provide knowledge transfer activities to disseminate current evidence-based cancer control knowledge
from academia to community and experience-based knowledge from community to academia.
4) Design and implement culturally and linguistically appropriate pilot and full cancer control research
projects while maintaining community participation during all phases of the research.
The Program 3 team includes:
Mohsen Bazargan, PhD, Anthony Brown, Nell Griffith Forge, MPH, PhD, Vilma Enriquez Haas, PhD,
Roland Holmes, PhD, Loretta Jones, MA, Aziza Lucas-Wright, M.Ed., David Martins, MD, Annette
Maxwell, DrPH, James Smith, MD, Roberto Vargas, MD, MPH, Roena Rabelo Vega, and The members of
the Community Academic Council:
Bernice Sanders
Amanda Langford
Ella Jean Hartfield
MD Donnell
Kupaji Jaliwa
Jan Robinson Flint
D’Ann Morris
Pluscedia Williams
Whitney Rivers
Clarence Williams
Shirley Campbell
Sharon Anderson
Lachara Caldwell
Debra Mays
Candis Jones
Tanya DeJurnett
Dennishia Banner
Lavern Lewis
Lorne Wellington
Carolyn Bartlett
Fannie Upshaw
Carolyn Garner
Heather Hays
Tony Brown
Andrea Jones
Bertha Wellington
Gina Villegas
Jennifer Mc Gee
Kathryn Davis
Rhonda Santifer
Roena Vega
Yolanda Rogers
Yvonne Hung
Vivian Sells
Lou Goods
“Building Bridges to Optimum Health” is an ongoing series of community partnered participatory research
projects directed toward educating the community and creating an opportunity for interaction between the lay
community, community based organizations, health care providers, the department of health services and
academic medical centers. The health of the South Los Angeles community has been the driving force in
building the community bridges. Major health disparities are discussed by community and then organized
through a collaborative academic/community process. This has led to community educational seminars on
topics ranging from preterm delivery, women’s health, clinical research, research ethics, memory disorders,
mental health, childhood asthma, environmental health, violence, chronic kidney disease and diabetes. These
collaborations have also enabled new relationships between community and academia that have created new
strategies to deliver effective educational messages, creating criterion for conducting the highest quality
evidenced based research and providing care. The development of new research strategies has been generated
through community input and published in the medical community bringing a new awareness and validity to the
process.
Conference Speakers and Moderators
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Dr. Mohsen Bazargan: Associate Professor and President of the Academic Senate at Charles R. Drew
University’s Department of Family Medicine
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Ms. Helene Campbell: Insurance Sales Agent/Broker, Campbell Agency in Los Angeles
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Dr. Ram Chillar: Medical Oncologist, Associate Professor, UCLA and Charles R. Drew University
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Dr. Sheilah Clayton: Surgeon, Martin Luther King- Multi-Service Ambulatory Care Center
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Dr. Judith Gasson: Professor and Director, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School
of Medicine
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Dr. Roland Holmes: Co-Chair of the Community Academic Council
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Ms. Kupaji Jaliwa: Community Faculty at Charles R. Drew University
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Ms. Loretta Jones: Founder and CEO of Healthy African American Families II and Assistant Professor
at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
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Ms. Aziza Lucas-Wright: Developmental Director at the Avalon Carver Community Center and
Community Instructor at Charles R. Drew University
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Ms. Briana Lawrence: Graduate Research Assistant University of Texas and former Fellow Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Health Communication and Marketing
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Dr. David Martins: Internal Medicine, Assistant Professor at Charles R. Drew University
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Ms. Martha Navarro: Patient Navigator, L.A. Care
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Dr. Keith Norris: Professor and Vice-President for Research at Charles R. Drew University
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Rev. Dr. Clyde Oden: Cancer Survivor, Pastor of Bryant Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church
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Ms. Anya Prince: Attorney, Cancer Legal Resource Center
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Dr. Monica Rosales: Research fellow at City of Hope
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Rhonda Santifer: Pastor, founder of Celebrate Life Cancer Ministry and Director of special projects for
the Los Angeles Urban League
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Dr. Oscar Streeter: Professor and Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology at Howard University
School of Medicine and Science
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Dr. Roberto Vargas: Assistant Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine
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Mr. Clarence Williams: Cancer Survivor, public relations specialist
What is cancer?
Cancer is the general name for a group of more than 100 diseases in which cells in a part of the body begin to
grow out of control. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all start because abnormal cells grow out of
control. Untreated cancers can cause serious illness and even death.
Normal cells in the body
The body is made up of hundreds of millions of living cells. Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in an
orderly fashion. During the early years of a person's life, normal cells divide faster to allow the person to grow.
After the person becomes an adult, most cells divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells or to repair injuries.
How cancer starts:
Cancer starts when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but
they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells. Cancer cell growth is different from normal
cell growth. Instead of dying, cancer cells continue to grow and form new, abnormal cells. Cancer cells can also
invade (grow into) other tissues, something that normal cells cannot do. Growing out of control and invading
other tissues are what makes a cell a cancer cell.
Cells become cancer cells because of damage to DNA. DNA is in every cell and directs all its actions. In a
normal cell, when DNA gets damaged the cell either repairs the damage or the cell dies. In cancer cells, the
damaged DNA is not repaired, but the cell doesn’t die like it should. Instead, this cell goes on making new cells
that the body does not need. These new cells will all have the same damaged DNA as the first cell does.
People can inherit damaged DNA, but most DNA damage is caused by mistakes that happen while the normal
cell is reproducing or by something in our environment. Sometimes the cause of the DNA damage is something
obvious, like cigarette smoking. But often no clear cause is found.
In most cases the cancer cells form a tumor. Some cancers, like leukemia, rarely form tumors. Instead, these
cancer cells involve the blood and blood-forming organs and circulate through other tissues where they grow.
How cancer spreads:
Cancer cells often travel to other parts of the body, where they begin to grow and form new tumors that replace
normal tissue. This process is called metastasis. It happens when the cancer cells get into the bloodstream or
lymph vessels of our body.
How cancers differ:
No matter where a cancer may spread, it is always named for the place where it started. For example, breast
cancer that has spread to the liver is still called breast cancer, not liver cancer. Likewise, prostate cancer that has
spread to the bone is metastatic prostate cancer, not bone cancer.
Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For example, lung cancer and breast cancer are very
different diseases. They grow at different rates and respond to different treatments. That is why people with
cancer need treatment that is aimed at their particular kind of cancer.
Tumors that are not cancer:
Not all tumors are cancerous. Tumors that aren’t cancer are called benign. Benign tumors can cause problems –
they can grow very large and press on healthy organs and tissues. But they cannot grow into (invade) other
tissues. Because they can’t invade, they also can’t spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). These tumors
are almost never life threatening.
How common is cancer?
Half of all men and one-third of all women in the US will develop cancer during their lifetimes.
Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. The risk of developing most types of
cancer can be reduced by changes in a person's lifestyle, for example, by quitting smoking, limiting time in the
sun, being physically active, and eating a better diet. The sooner a cancer is found and treated, the better the
chances are for living for many years.
For more information about cancer, please contact us anytime, day or night at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit
www.cancer.org.
How do breast cancer incidence and death rates differ for women from different racial or ethnic groups?
In the United States, White women have the highest incidence rate for breast cancer, although African
American/Black women are most likely to die from the disease. Breast cancer incidence and death rates are
lower for women from other racial and ethnic groups than for White and African American/Black women.
Incidence and death rates for female breast cancer are shown in Table 2.
Female Breast Cancer Incidence and Death Rates
Breast
Racial/Ethnic Group
Incidence
Death
All
127.8
25.5
African American/Black
118.3
33.8
Asian/Pacific Islander
89.0
12.6
Hispanic/Latino
89.3
16.1
American Indian/Alaska Native
69.8
16.1
132.5
25.0
White
Statistics are for 2000-2004, age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard million population, and represent the
number of new cases of invasive cancer and deaths per year per 100,000 women.
What factors might contribute to the higher breast cancer death rate observed in African
American/Black women? Lack of medical coverage, barriers to early detection and screening, and unequal
access to improvements in cancer treatment may contribute to observed differences in survival between African
American/Black and White women. In addition, recent NCI-supported research indicates that aggressive breast
tumors are more common in younger African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino women living in low SES
areas. This more aggressive form of breast cancer is less responsive to standard cancer treatments and is
associated with poorer survival (Carey LA, Perou CM, Livasy CA, et al. Race, breast cancer subtypes, and
survival in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study. JAMA, 2006; 295(21); 2492-2502.)
Source: National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/disparities/cancer-health-disparities
How do cervical cancer incidence and death rates differ for women from different racial or ethnic
groups?
Compared to White women in the general population, African American/Black women are more likely to be
diagnosed with cervical cancer. Hispanic/Latino women, however, have the highest cervical cancer incidence
rate. The highest death rate from cervical cancer is among African American/Black women.
Cervical Cancer Incidence and Death Rates
Cervix
Racial/Ethnic Group
All
Incidence
Death
8.7
2.6
11.4
4.9
8.0
2.4
13.8
3.3
American Indian/Alaska Native
6.6
4.0
White
8.5
2.3
African American/Black
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic/Latino
Statistics are for 2000-2004, age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard million population, and represent the
number of new cases of invasive cancer and deaths per year per 100,000 women.
What factors might contribute to the greater burden of cervical cancer among Hispanic/Latino and
African American/Black women? The disproportionate burden of cervical cancer in Hispanic/Latino and
African American/Black women is primarily due to a lack of screening. More information on these disparities
can be found in The Excess Cervical Cancer Mortality: A Marker for Low Access to Health Care in Poor
Communities report (http://crchd.cancer.gov/attachments/excess-cervcanmort.pdf)
Persistent infection with certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the major cause of most cases of
cervical cancer. An HPV vaccine is now available that targets two strains of the virus that are associated with
development of cervical cancer. More information can be found in the NCI fact sheet Human Papillomavirus
(HPV) Vaccines: Questions and Answers at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Prevention/HPVvaccine on the Internet.
Source: National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/disparities/cancer-health-disparities
How do prostate cancer incidence and death rates differ for men from different racial or ethnic groups?
African American/Black men have the highest incidence rate for prostate cancer in the United States and are
more than twice as likely as White men to die of the disease. The lowest death rates for prostate cancer are
found in Asian/Pacific Islander men. Incidence and death rates for prostate cancer are shown in table below.
Prostate Cancer Incidence and Death Rates
Prostate
Racial/Ethnic Group
Incidence
Death
All
168.0
27.9
African American/Black
255.5
62.3
96.5
11.3
140.8
21.2
68.2
21.5
161.4
25.6
Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic/Latino
American Indian/Alaska Native
White
Statistics are for 2000-2004, age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard million population, and represent the
number of new cases of invasive cancer and deaths per year per 100,000 men.
What factors might contribute to the disproportionate burden of prostate cancer among African
American/Black men?
The higher incidence of prostate cancer in African American/Black men compared with men from other
racial/ethnic groups prompted the hypothesis that genetic factors might account, in part, for the observed
differences. More information can be found at (http://cgems.cancer.gov) In addition, research has shown that
low SES, lack of health insurance coverage, unequal access to health care services, and absence of ties to a
primary care physician are barriers to screening for prostate cancer and the timely diagnosis of this disease,
making African American/Black men less likely to receive regular physical examinations and screening for
prostate cancer.
Haiman CA, Patterson N, Freedman ML, et al. Multiple regions within 8q24 independently affect risk for
prostate cancer. Nature Genetics, 2007; 39(5); 638-644.
Talcott TA, Spain P, Clark JA, et al. Hidden barriers between knowledge and behavior: The North Carolina
Prostate Cancer Screening and Treatment Experience. Cancer, 2007; 109(8); 1899-1606.
Source National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/disparities/cancer-health-disparities
What are some questions I can ask my doctor?
As you cope with cancer and cancer treatment, we encourage you to have honest, open talks with your doctor.
Feel free to ask any question that's on your mind, no matter how small it might seem. Here are some questions
you might want to ask. Be sure to add your own questions as you think of them. Nurses, social workers, and
other members of the treatment team may also be able to answer many of your questions.
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Would you please write down the exact type of cancer I have?
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How does this affect my treatment options and outlook?
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May I have a copy of my pathology report?
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Has the cancer spread to my lymph nodes or other organs?
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What is the stage of the cancer? What does that mean in my case?
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Are there other tests that need to be done before we can decide on treatment?
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What treatment choices do I have? What do you recommend? Why?
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Should I think about genetic testing?
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Should I look into taking part in a clinical trial?
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What are the risks or side effects of different treatments?
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What can I do to get ready for treatment?
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How well can I expect breast reconstruction surgery to work if I need or want it?
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What are the pros and cons of having it done right away or waiting until later?
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What will my breasts look and feel like after treatment?
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Will I have normal feeling in my breasts after treatment?
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Will I lose my hair? If so, what can I do about it?
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What are the chances of the cancer coming back with the treatment you suggest? What would we do if
that happens?
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Should I follow a special diet or make other lifestyle changes?
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Will I go through menopause as a result of treatment?
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Will I be able to have children after treatment?
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What are my chances of survival, based on my cancer as you see it?
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What type of follow-up will I need after treatment? Source: American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/OverviewGuide/breast-cancer-overview-talking-with-doctor
Continuing Education Credits
CEUs will be available for Licensed Clinical Social Workers Provided by Harbor UCLA Medical Center
Audience Response Devices
All conference attendees will receive certificates of participation. Demographic and evaluation questionnaires
will be administered during the conference using the Audience Response System. The system consists of hand
held keypads used by the audience to enter their answers to questions which are projected onto a screen in the
format similar to a PowerPoint slide show. The system’s receivers then record the answers to the accompanying
software program from which the answers can instantly be displayed then stored, formatted and prepared for
analysis.
Additional References:
1. Schonfeld SJ, Lee C, Berrington de González A. Medical exposure to radiation and thyroid cancer. Clin
Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2011 May;23(4):244-50. Epub 2011. Feb 5. PubMed PMID: 21296564.
2. Wiggins MS, Simonavice EM. Cancer prevention, aerobic capacity, and physical functioning in
survivors related to physical activity: a recent review. Cancer. Manag Res. 2010 Jun 9;2:157-64.
PubMed PMID: 21188106; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3004575.
3. Winzer BM, Whiteman DC, Reeves MM, Paratz JD. Physical activity and cancer prevention: a
systematic review of clinical trials. Cancer Causes Control. 2011 Jun;22(6):811-26. Epub 2011 Apr 3.
PubMed PMID: 21461921
Dedication
To the many individuals and organizations that worked together
to make this symposium happen and show the strength of
communities working toward a common goal.
We dedicate this “Building Bridges to Optimum Health
Prevention, Treatment and Control of Cancer in Our Community Conference” to the Los
Angeles communities that make this a great city and we
acknowledge persons affected by Cancer and
their caregivers.
This is a free conference for community members, caregivers, patients, families, service
providers, students, faith-based organizations, and researchers.
“The enjoyment of the highest
attainable standard of health is one of
the fundamental rights of every human
being without distinction of race,
religion, political belief,
economic or social condition.”
Charles Drew, MD
(1948)