# Understanding and Addressing Cancer Health Disparities in Louisiana

> **NIH NIH P20** · LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER · 2020 · $968,492

## Abstract

ABSTRACT:
Cancer health disparities represent a major public health crisis in the state of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.
The citizens of this region have to contend with cancer incidence and mortality rates that are among the
highest in the nation. In addition, we have a very high incidence of specific malignancies that
disproportionately affect minorities and the underserved citizens of the region. Triple negative breast cancer,
hepatocellular carcinoma, endometrial cancer, advanced prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, among
others, are more common and appear to be more aggressive among minorities. Complex socio-economic
and political reasons and an increase in co-morbidities, such as obesity, may in part help explain the origin of
some of these health disparities. However, increasing evidence from genomics and cancer biology, including
our work, has started to shed light on the biological basis for some of these inequities, and suggests specific
interventions to help ameliorate the impact of these diseases and improve patient outcomes. We plan to use
this P20 planning grant to establish research projects that bring together the best investigators and
institutions in Louisiana who are conducting research on the genetics/genomics, immunology, and clinical
and public health aspects of cancer with special emphasis on health disparities. Under the leadership of the
LSU Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center in New Orleans (LSU-CC-NO) and in partnership with investigators from
academic and medical institutions in the state, we have agreed to conduct research under the new Gulf
South Center for Research and Solutions in Cancer Health Disparities (Gulf South-CARES-CHD). To ensure
a focused and productive effort, this P20 grant we will study the genomic signature and inflammation
characteristics of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a disease that disproportionately affects young
African-American women in Louisiana. We believe that understanding the genomics and inflammatory
biology of specific cancers may provide insights into mechanisms of resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy
and help identify and test potential interventions for improving the therapeutic efficacy of current and future
treatments. Besides creating competitive teams of researchers, we will build the necessary intellectual and
organizational infrastructure and develop the preliminary data to plan and support research projects that
qualify for a SPORE application. Our combined expertise, the unique patient populations available in
Louisiana, and the commitment of our institutions will enable us to achieve these goals, which will improve
prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer in underserved populations, both in Louisiana and globally.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10005206
- **Project number:** 5P20CA233374-03
- **Recipient organization:** LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Lucio Miele
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $968,492
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-19 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10005206

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10005206, Understanding and Addressing Cancer Health Disparities in Louisiana (5P20CA233374-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10005206. Licensed CC0.

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