Planting the Seeds of Prevention - Siteman Cancer Center

Vetta Sanders Thompson, PhD, left, is a leading researcher in the area
of racial identity and health care disparities. Her current work includes
seeking the most effective ways to promote vaccination for human
papillomavirus (HPV) in the African-American population.
4 The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center
Schootman’s research also revealed a decline in disparity for overall
mortality rates. In 1990, cancer deaths among African Americans were
48 percent higher than in whites. By 2005, the disparity had decreased
to 28 percent. The slow pace of this decrease means racial disparity in
cancer deaths will probably continue for several decades unless more
aggressive interventions are used, Schootman says. He also notes that
disparity in mortality rates for colorectal cancer did not narrow, and
the difference between the races in breast cancer mortality actually
increased, again suggesting precise targets for prevention work.
Vetta Sanders Thompson, PhD, is working to improve cervical cancer
prevention efforts. Sanders Thompson, associate professor of public
health at Washington University’s George Warren Brown School of Social
Work, is studying the social and cultural factors that influence African-
American parents’ decisions about whether to have their daughters
vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV), a known cause of
cervical cancer. After surveying attitudes and concerns in collaboration
with community agencies, she hopes to produce communications that
resonate with this population and improve public health.
In the area of breast cancer, Donna Jeffe, PhD, research associate professor and director
of Siteman’s Health Behavior and Outreach Core, is conducting a longitudinal study of
quality-of-life measures among breast cancer survivors diagnosed at various stages, including
ductal carcinoma in situ — a preinvasive cancer — and stages I and IIA invasive breast cancer.
One piece of this large six-year study investigates patients’ perceptions of their risk for
recurrence. Jeffe asks, “If they underestimate their risk for recurrence, do they stop followup
care? If they overestimate their risk, does their quality of life suffer from the attendant
anxiety?” She aims to develop educational programs that help breast cancer patients interpret
their risks appropriately so they make wise choices concerning their health.
Also aiming to change behavior, Ross Brownson, PhD, professor of epidemiology and
surgery, is studying evidence-based approaches to cancer prevention. “We know a lot about
how to prevent cancer, but too often, what we know is not used,” he says. For example,
Brownson heads a project exploring the best way to approach state lawmakers about cancer
so they take informed action to improve health policy. “What do they remember, and what
do they act on — stories, data or something else?” he asks. In another study, he is evaluating
the decision-making process in state health departments to identify gaps in their use of
scientific evidence.
The work of Brownson and other cancer-prevention experts at Siteman dramatically
expands the cancer center’s reach beyond individuals directly affected by a cancer diagnosis.
By precisely identifying populations, customizing messages and rigorously defining best
practices, these researchers are helping entire communities avoid cancer.