About the Symposium

April 4 - 5, 2023

4th NCI Symposium on Cancer Health Disparities

Building 35
Rooms 610/620/630/640

The 4th NCI Symposium on Cancer Health Disparities will be hybrid (both in-person and virtual).  Registration is required to receive the link to join virtually.

Cancer health disparities affect millions of people across the United States and globally. Disparities in cancer burden are evident by geography, race/ethnicity, genetic ancestry, immigrant status, culture, gender, sexual orientation (LGBTQ+), and socioeconomic class, among other factors. Cancer disparities are not only due to barriers in access to health care, but also due to cultural barriers, structural racism and environmental disadvantage, ancestry-related risk factors, persistent co-morbidities, and chronic stress exposure because of discrimination and social isolation. The challenge of reducing and eliminating health disparities and achieving equity has been largely attributed to the complex interactions among these various determinants.

The symposium will highlight a range of topics to address the systemic barriers and racism that lead to health disparities and showcase ongoing research being done in the social, clinical, epidemiologic, and basic science disciplines. We seek to feature challenges and solutions, and the programs that were developed to address cancer health disparities from researchers in the field and within the intramural NCI program.

Main Topics

• Achieving Clinical Trial Diversity and How it may Reduce Disparities in Cancer Care.
• Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas.
• Structural Racism:  What it is and How it Contributes to Cancer Disparities.
• Influence of Ancestry and the Environment on Tumor Biology.
• Using Epidemiologic Methods to Advance Health Disparities Research.
• Health Disparities in the LBGTQ+ Community: From Measuring Sex, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation to Intervention.
• Role of Telemedicine in Overcoming Cancer Health Disparities in the United States.

Follow the conversation on Twitter: #NCICHD23

Organizing Committee: Stefan Ambs, Constanza Camargo, Jiyeon Choi, Alexandra Harris, Wayne Lawrence, Brittany Lord, Sheila Rajagopal, Ramya Ramaswami, Jongeun Rhee, Tiffany Wallace

Supported by the CCR Cancer Health Disparities Interest Group, DCEG Cancer Health Disparity Working Group, DCEG Fellows’ Cancer Health Disparity Interest Group

Important Dates:

Abstract Deadline is March 1, 2023
Registration Deadline is March 28, 2023