Each of the nation’s 71 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers is required to have an External Advisory Committee (EAC) composed of cancer experts from around the country. The members of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center’s EAC met in Honolulu in early 2022, almost 50 years to the date after the UH Cancer Center was founded, and found that the center has made, and will continue to make, substantial contributions to reduce the burden of cancer in Hawaii, the Pacific Islands, the nation and the world.
The UH Cancer Center is unique among the nation’s cancer centers in a number of ways. The geographic area served by the center is enormous, encompassing Hawaii, Guam and other United States-affiliated Pacific Islands. The ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity of the people living throughout this area is greater than any other cancer center in the country.
Within the state, the UH Cancer Center successfully works with the major health care systems as a member of the Hawaii Cancer Consortium focused on reducing the region’s burden of cancer. This has resulted in productive and unique collaborations among Hawaii’s health care systems.
A major focus of the collaboration between the UH Cancer Center and the health systems in Hawaii is in the conduct of cancer clinical trials. Clinical trials represent the most promising new ways to find cancer early, treat people with cancer more effectively and provide support for people coping with cancer and for their loved ones.
The UH Cancer Center has worked with the Hawaii Cancer Consortium to collaborate in a manner that provides the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands direct access to highly innovative cancer clinical trials in Hawaii, without the need for travel away from home and family. This is also important because it provides confidence that new and exciting cancer treatments are shown to work equally well for the ethnically diverse people of Hawaii and the Pacific.
The UH Cancer Center comprises national leaders in many areas of cancer research. A key example is the center’s Multi-Ethnic Cohort Study. This collaborative study involves analyzing information on health and lifestyle from volunteer participants from various ethnic backgrounds over many years. The information derived from this study has been used to make ground-breaking discoveries related to the role of diet, lifestyle and genetics in cancer, directly affecting the populations the UH Cancer Center serves. This includes engaging various communities to develop new approaches to support healthier lifestyles that will ultimately reduce the future burden of cancer in Hawaii and the Pacific.
Other researchers at the center are exploring cancer at the molecular and cellular level. Indeed, discoveries made in the research laboratories in Kakaako will serve as the foundation for the next generation of new approaches to preventing, detecting and treating cancer. This fertile environment for research is also producing the next generation of cancer researchers through the many levels of educational and mentorship initiatives.
On this 50th anniversary of the founding of the UH Cancer Center, we, the members of the UH Cancer Center EAC, congratulate the people of Hawaii, your elected officials, UH leadership, members of the Hawaii Cancer Consortium and other community supporters for your visionary support of this superb cancer research center. We also applaud the UH Cancer Center’s past and present scientists, staff and administrators whose vision and dogged determination have enabled the center to fulfill the promise that was envisioned 50 years ago this year.
George J. Weiner is chairman and Karen E. Knudsen is vice chairwoman of the External Advisory Committee for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center; this was submitted on behalf of the 12-member committee.
