Ongoing Global Health Projects

Research to Examine the Confluence of Cancer Stigma and HIV Stigma in HIV-positive Individuals Diagnosed with Cancer

In 2024, through a notice of funding opportunity as a request for applications (“The Confluence of Cancer Stigma and HIV Stigma in HIV-positive Individuals Diagnosed with Cancer” RFA-CA-25-011 and RFA-CA-25-012), NCI notified potential applicants of its intent to support research that expands the current understanding of the confluence of cancer stigma and HIV stigma among people with HIV (PWH) diagnosed with cancer; assesses the impact of these two converging stigmas on cancer outcomes among PWH with cancer; leverages stigma reduction interventions at multiple levels to intervene on modifiable mechanisms of stigma that contribute to negative cancer outcomes among PWH with cancer; and promotes research in domestic and international contexts, focusing on regions in which the HIV-cancer burden is elevated. Applications were received in December 2024, the study section was convened in March 2025, and Becky Ferrer and Robin Vanderpool presented the funding plan to NCI leadership (SPL) in July 2025. Two awards – both R01s and one of which is in Zambia – are to be funded by the end of this fiscal year.

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Noteworthy Reports

NCI and INCa Colleagues Develop a Scientific Framework for Tobacco Control Research

A scientific framework for tobacco control research, entitled Prospects for Tobacco Control Research: Structuring, Developing, and Advancing Scientific Research in Tobacco Control, has been developed by researchers at NCI in collaboration with colleagues at the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) as part of a scientific and institutional partnership. NCI authors are from the DCCPS Tobacco Control Research Branch (TCRB; Carolyn Reyes-Guzman, Rachel Grana Mayne, David Dean Jr., and Amanda Klein [contractor]) and the Center for Global Health (CGH; Mark Parascandola). The document summarizes findings from a grantee workshop that was held in November 2022 and a follow-up virtual meeting in Spring 2023 and reflects the collective insights of the contributing authors and collaborators. The recommendations, intended to inform and guide future tobacco control research efforts, do not constitute a commitment of funding from NCI; however, INCa has committed to dedicating future funding and working with other global partners to support tobacco control research.

INCa has published the document in French on their website and TCRB recently posted the report in English on the TCRB website. The authors will potentially produce a joint peer-reviewed publication with INCa to condense and summarize the findings.

Recent Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals

• Jen Guida (no longer with DCCPS) co-authored a paper, “Mammographic density in relation to breast cancer risk factors among Chinese women,” published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The study examines how quantitative mammographic density measures relate to known breast cancer risk factors in an East Asian population, factoring in menopausal status and BMI.
• Neal Freedman co-authored a paper, “Hot beverage intake and oesophageal cancer in the UK Biobank: prospective cohort study,” published in British Journal of Cancer. The authors’ findings provide new evidence that drinking hot or very hot beverages is a risk factor for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the UK where drinking hot tea and coffee is common.
• Former fellow Rachelle Brick co-authored a paper, “Perspectives on prehabilitation for older adults with cancer: a report from the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) rehabilitation group,” published in the Journal of Geriatric Oncology. The authors conclude that prehabilitation may improve postoperative outcomes, particularly in frail older adults with cancer.
• Neal Freedman co-authored a paper, “Association between socioeconomic position and lung cancer incidence in 16 countries: a prospective cohort consortium study,” published in EClinicalMedicine. The authors reported that based on longitudinal data from 2.5 million participants from 16 countries, their findings suggest that higher educational attainment was associated with lower lung cancer risk among participants with a smoking history, but not among participants who never smoked.

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Meeting Reports

World Conference on Tobacco Control

Annette Kaufman and Carolyn Reyes-Guzman attended the World Conference on Tobacco Control in Dublin, Ireland, held in June 2025.  Highlights included hearing from Ireland’s Taoiseach and former Minister for Health Micheal Martin, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control, hearing from investigators conducting tobacco cessation programs for people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries, learning about the potential for harnessing AI and digital tools for monitoring tobacco control efforts, and a session on changing US global health policies.

NISA Research Week

In June 2025, David Chambers and Margarita Correa-Mendez both gave lectures as part of the Nigeria Implementation Science Alliance’s (NISA’s) 2025 NISA Research Week, “Role of Implementation Science in Sustaining Health Programs.” Dr. Chambers gave a lecture providing an overview of implementation science in health to kick off the week of online sessions, while Dr. Correa-Mendez (along with CGH colleague Dr. Julia Gage) spoke on opportunities to advance implementation science in cancer.

International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Conference

Tanya Agurs-Collins presented at the International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Conference, held in Auckland, New Zealand, in June 2025. Dr. Agurs-Collins presented “Diet quality and population differences in adult cancer survivors: an NHANES 2011-2020 study.”

NIH ODP Presentation: Global Cancer Stigma

In January 2025, Robin Vanderpool presented to the NIH ODP Prevention Research Coordinating Committee on NCI’s global cancer stigma research and programmatic efforts. The NIH Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) Prevention Research Coordinating Committee is a body that coordinates prevention research activities across NIH. The committee works to improve the scope, quality, and impact of prevention research supported by the NIH by collaborating with various NIH institutes and centers, as well as external partners.

International Symposium on Health Equity and Resilience

Sylvia Chou presented a series of lectures at National Taiwan University in December 2024, including a talk, “Multidisciplinary research in health communication inequalities,” for global health students, a presentation on “Behavior research in cancer control” for faculty at the college of public health, and a lecture on “Communicating about health in an evolving information environment” as part of the International Symposium on Health Equity and Resilience.

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Upcoming Events

Preventing Overdiagnosis 2025 Conference

David Chambers will be delivering a plenary talk at the Preventing Overdiagnosis 2025 Conference, being held September 3-5, 2025, in Oxford, UK. The conference is hosted by the Oxford University Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM). Dr. Chambers’ talk, “Addressing overdiagnosis through the lens of implementation (and de-implementation) science,” is part of a session focusing on “incentives, drivers, and mitigation of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.”

10th Annual NISA Conference

Margarita Correa-Mendez will attend the 10th Annual NISA Implementation Science Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, September 11-13, 2025, and serve as a moderator for the Implementation Science for Cancer Prevention and Care session. With the theme “Sustainable growth through local action: from investment to impact,” NISA 2025 will convene global thought leaders, public health experts, policymakers, and innovators to drive forward evidence-based solutions in implementation science.

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