Breast cancer, environment featured in California community forum
A focus on breast cancer drew upwards of 100 people to the latest NIEHS community forum. Sponsored locally by the City of Hope Medical Center, participants in the Nov. 16 event in Duarte, California came from across the Los Angeles basin.
NIEHS and National Toxicology Program Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., holds several such forums each year to hear from local residents about their environmental health concerns. This one was held in conjunction with a meeting of the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program grantees (BCERP; see sidebar).
Birnbaum described NIEHS-supported research related to environmental impacts on breast cancer. "All in all, we spent $28.4 million dollars on breast cancer last year," she said. "In fact, we're second only to the National Cancer Institute in breast cancer funding."
Birnbaum stayed after the event to speak with community members on a more personal level. (Photo courtesy of John Schelp)
Opportunity for two-way exchange
Birnbaum also emphasized the two-way exchange that is the goal of these events. "These community forums highlight the research we support. The forums [also] provide an opportunity for my institute and other public health groups to hear the public's concerns about environmental health," she said.
Congresswoman Judy Chu, Ph.D., planned to attend, but stayed in Washington, D.C. for a congressional vote. She provided remarks by video. Besides Birnbaum, four other panelists participated.
Peggy Reynolds, Ph.D. — program leader of the Environmental Research Group at the Cancer Prevention Institute of California.
Rosario Quintanilla — U.S. Food and Drug Administration public affairs specialist.
Christopher Sistrunk, Ph.D. — City of Hope community education and community outreach research specialist.
Kim Tankersley — breast cancer activist and representative of the Community Leadership Committee.
From left, panelists and coordinators included Amy Trentham-Dietz, Ph.D., from the University of Wisconsin; Reynolds; Quintanilla; Tankersley; Susan Neuhausen, Ph.D., from City of Hope; Sistrunk; Birnbaum; Rakoff; and Shiuan Chen, Ph.D., from City of Hope. (Photo courtesy of John Schelp)
City of Hope
The City of Hope, which concentrates on research and treatment of cancer, is a BCERP grantee. Ikuko Bentsi-Barnes, Ph.D., who headed up the planning team for the forum, reflected on the value of having federal research representatives listen to local concerns.
"These forums are essential because they present information on exposures based on scientific evidence, demonstrate that it is important to have community involvement, and provide links to where the community can obtain additional information," she said.
Your commitment to educating the community about breast cancer and the environment is truly commendable. Congresswoman Judy Chu
Birnbaum credited the work of the planning committee for much of the success of the free event. The group advertised in local newspapers, online, and reached out through community representatives.
Format welcomes all concerns
A good turnout by a highly engaged audience made for a successful forum, according to organizers. (Photo courtesy of John Schelp)
As with other NIEHS community forums, most of the time was reserved for the audience to voice concerns and ask questions. The discussion was moderated by Michele Rakoff, from the Breast Cancer Care and Research Fund. She brought deep experience working with local residents, as a partner on the City of Hope BCERP grant.
Audience members included breast cancer survivors, family members, and area residents who had questions about how chemicals in their environment might be involved in the disease. During the 90-minute meeting, the discussion ranged far and wide, according to John Schelp, NIEHS special assistant for community engagement and outreach.
"We heard about disparities in breast cancer risk as well as in mortality from the disease, challenges to families, questions from activists, and concerns about things like air pollution and plastics, among other topics," Schelp said. The role of interactions between genes and the environment was also raised, along with the possibility that the environment may outweigh family connections in disease risk and prognosis.
Congressional recognition
Video remarks from Congresswoman Chu urged more exploration of disparities in breast cancer, especially among Asian and African American communities.
A representative from her office attended and presented a certificate to NIEHS, in recognition of achievements high standards of excellence. The text read in part, "Your commitment to educating the community about breast cancer and the environment is truly commendable. Your dedication has made a lasting and positive impact on society." The document was signed by Chu, who represents the Pasadena area.
The community forum took place near Santa Anita Canyon. Birnbaum noted that Pasadena and Durham share common ground as the only two cities to have hosted the Rose Bowl and Rose Parade. (Photo courtesy of John Schelp)
Elizabeth Andalon, right, staff member for Rep. Judy Chu, spoke with Birnbaum, left, and Chen after the forum. (Photo courtesy of John Schelp)
Comments from local residents, researchers, breast cancer survivors, and family members focused on the role of the environment, even as the topics ranged beyond breast cancer to air pollution and plastics. (Photo courtesy of John Schelp)
Most of the hour-and-a-half event was reserved for discussion of comments made by audience members, including Kimlin Tam Ashing, Ph.D., founding director of the Center of Community Alliance for Research and Education at City of Hope Medical Center. (Photo courtesy of John Schelp)
From left, panelists Tankersley, Sistrunk, Quintanilla, Reynolds, and Birnbaum used their varied expertise to respond to points raised by the community. (Photo courtesy of John Schelp)
Researchers share results
City of Hope was also the local sponsor of the annual meeting of BCERP grantees Nov. 16-17. Researchers outside of the consortium and members of the public were welcomed to the talks and poster session.
Abee Boyles, Ph.D., NIEHS program lead for BCERP, spoke about the gathering. "The theme was 'Translating Research into Action to Reduce Breast Cancer'," she said. "These scientists are talented and ambitious, and a focus on translation can help move their findings to the public, to reduce environmental exposures, and hopefully prevent breast cancer."
True to that aim, the meeting agenda featured a full slate of speakers from within BCERP and beyond, addressing topics as wide ranging as scientific research on the role of endocrine disruptors, community contributions to research, the role of epigenetics, and susceptible stages of human development.
Communication strategies are an important part of translation efforts. "Effective communication of risk is actually very complicated," Boyles noted. Research on breast cancer risk communications addresses such topics as what makes for effective messaging regarding breast cancer risks; using social media to share health messages for mothers of adolescent girls; and apps that share research results in a manner designed to improve environmental health literacy.
Listen to this two-part discussion from the NIEHS Partnerships for Environmental Public Health on how early life exposures might contribute to breast cancer development, and why educating the public about research findings is critical. (5:55), (6:28)
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