Reducing Disparities in Esophageal Cancer Screening for Mexican-Hispanic Patients with Targeted Multispectral and Polarization-Sensitive Imaging
Abstract
Rationale and Objective: Esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of death in the world, and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) accounts for about nine-tenths of worldwide cases of esophageal cancer each year. Unfortunately, most patients with ESCC are diagnosed at a late stage, when the cancer has spread to other organs, and as a result the long-term survival is poor. Further exacerbating this challenge, there are major disparities for ESCC in Hispanic patients, leading to later diagnosis, fewer treatment options, and worse outcomes. While socioeconomic factors are influential, the biological features of ESCC have also been observed to vary for Hispanic patients; therefore, the biomarkers used to identify the cancer will change as well. Developing a patient-specific method for detecting ESCC could enhance the screening for ESCC, and more generally, could provide a foundation for personalized medicine and screening in a variety of cancers. The objective of this research is to catalog the variations in biomarkers for ESCC for Hispanic patients and develop targeted screening methods customized to provide the highest performance for ESCC screening. Samples of esophageal tissue will be measured for Mexican-Hispanic and Non-Hispanic white patients and will be characterized using different optical and genetic measurement techniques. Variations in biomarkers will then be identified. A custom esophageal endoscope will be designed to acquire the patient-specific biomarkers, built, and validated. Finally, a database will be developed for widespread dissemination of the measured biomarkers, which will also serve to set the foundation for national and global collaboration and enrollment. The concepts developed in this research could have wide-ranging impact by demonstrating the effectiveness of patient-specific screening for different subpopulations. This work will lay the groundwork to extend the concept of patient-specific screening to other underserved groups worldwide by implementing the framework for data acquisition, sharing and coordination, as well as the technological innovations for the development of targeted screening devices. Principal Investigator Career Research Goals: Driven by a personal diagnosis with cancer, my career research goals are focused on developing new technologies and methods for gastrointestinal cancer screening. Specifically, I aim to develop screening tools that are targeted to acquire patient-specific markers of cancer, advancing toward personalized medicine that will improve screening, diagnosis, and ultimately patient outcomes. Within the scope of my career, I hope to improve health disparities in gastrointestinal cancer screening and diagnosis for underrepresented groups including ethnic/racial groups, and military personnel. The Career Development Award would provide an essential foundation to undertaking these innovating research goals by accelerating my transition to leading an independent laboratory, while also providing mentorship from cancer researchers, biostatisticians, and physicians. Who/How Will It Help? The initial target population is Mexican-Hispanic individuals, who are at higher risk of developing ESCC and have limited treatment options. This work could impact this population by providing a more sensitive screening technique, improving early diagnosis and overall outcome. This proposed work has immense clinical potential: the paradigm of targeted screening could be applied generally, enabling more sensitive screening for patients of different racial/ethnic groups, or who have been exposed to environmental hazards. Impact of Proposed Research. The project will encompass multiple Fiscal Year 2021 Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program Overarching Challenges: (1) improve prevention strategies, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients in underserved or under-recognized populations; (2) develop and improve minimally invasive methods to detect cancer initiatio
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 28, 2022
- Source ID
- W81XWH2210211
Entities
People
- Travis Sawyer
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Arizona