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Arizona receives a $4 Million American Indian Cancer Health
Disparities Grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI)

10-25-2005

Phoenix, Arizona, September 25, 2005 – The National Cancer Institute
recently announced the award of $18 million to reduce cancer health
disparities through it's Community Networks to Reduce Cancer Health
Disparities through Education, Research and Training Program. The
Southwest American Indian Collaborative Network (SAICN) received one
of the 18-22 grants awarded nationwide. This network, which aims to
reduce cancer health disparities among American Indians, is a
collaborative effort lead by a core group of professionals from the
Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc (ITCA), the Arizona Cancer
Center (AZCC), the Phoenix Indian Medical Center (PIMC), the
University of California at Los Angeles, the Translational Genomics
Research Institute (TGEN), and the Western Regional Community
Clinical Oncology Program (WRCCOP).
The collaboration was made possible, in part, through the
continuation of the Special Populations Network (SPN) grant "An
Innovative RFA for Minority Health Research and Minority
Advancement," also known as the American Indian Oncology Program.
Because of the work of all partners involved during the past four
years of SPN, a strong framework for collaborative partnership was
established. "This grant is a testament to what can be achieved when
programs work together for a common purpose," said Dr. Charlton
Wilson of the Phoenix Indian Medical Center.

"The fundamental aim of the Southwest American Indian Collaborative
Network (SAICN)," according to Dr. Kathryn Coe, the Principal
Investigator of the grant, "is to eliminate cancer health
disparities among American Indians in Arizona and the Southwest by
closing the gap between the health needs of the community and the
promise of cancer prevention and cure made possible through a
responsive health delivery and research system." This aim will be
achieved through support of participatory education, training, and
research programs driven by American Indian community needs. Cancer
is the second leading cause of death among American Indians. The
initial focus includes those cancers affecting American Indians in
the Southwest: breast, cervical, skin, lung, and colon.

"Participation in SAICN increases our effectiveness as a whole to
address cancer health disparity and expand resources. The hope is to
increase our ability to provide pertinent health programs through
our relationship with ITCA and a commitment by all partners to
include both urban and rural American Indians involvement at a
fundamental level," said Dr. David King, Medical Director of Western
Regional CCOP.

TGen is one of the new partners of this broadened network,
supplementing the research and training component, to ensure that
advances in molecular medicine and genomics are also integrated into
cancer treatment and prevention. "TGen is honored and excited to be
a part of this important Network," said Dr. Jeffrey Trent, President
and Scientific Director of TGen. "We look forward to working with
the network partners to ensure that the benefits of TGen's research,
specifically cancer therapeutics and diagnostics, are applicable and
accessible to American Indian cancer patients." Arizona, according
to Census 2000 summary data, retains its standing as the state with
the largest American Indian population residing on Indian lands.
Phoenix has one of the highest proportions of American Indians among
the top ten cities in the nation and Arizona is home to twenty-one
federally recognized tribes. Because of the rural nature of many
tribal communities, services commonly available to cancer patients
in urban areas are not available to American Indians in their
community settings. "This is a great opportunity for American
Indians to access the expertise and resources of partner agencies to
develop approaches to comprehensive cancer prevention and treatment"
said Mr. John R. Lewis, Executive Director of the Inter Tribal
Council of Arizona, Inc.

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