Cancer information program expanded to NMI

People in the CNMI needing more information about cancer and cancer research—including how to quit smoking—may now access the Cancer Information Service through the University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center of Hawaii.

This came about after the University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center was selected as one of 15 organizations that will operate the Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Institute, the government’s lead agency for cancer research, effective Jan. 15, 2005.

Created in 1976, the CIS is the federal government’s source for the latest, most accurate cancer information for the American public. The CIS assists organizations in developing education efforts to reach people who do not have easy access to cancer information and services, provides up-to-date scientific information in understandable language, and studies ways to promote healthy behaviors and communicate cancer information effectively.

The Cancer Information Service office at the University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center—and a satellite office on Guam located at the University of Guam—will serve Hawaii and the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

“The CIS is a critical resource for the American public, and we feel privileged to be able to continue to provide this service,” said Dr. Brian Issell, a local oncologist, and principal investigator for the new program. “We are pleased to be working in partnership with the many organizations throughout Hawaii and the Pacific to meet the needs of our island communities.”

“We are delighted that the new contract will allow us to extend our work addressing healthcare disparities further to other regions of the Pacific,” Issell added.

Staffed by specially trained information specialists, the CIS provides toll-free telephone service in English and Spanish (1-800-4-CANCER), offering personalized attention to each caller and answering questions about cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and research. Through NCI’s Web site, www.cancer.gov, Internet users can access CIS for real-time assistance through LiveHelp, an instant messaging service. In addition, CIS offers smoking cessation counseling via NCI’s Smoking Quitline (1-800 QUIT-NOW).

The CIS also collaborates with national, state, and regional organizations to disseminate cancer information and develop cancer education programs that reach minority and medically underserved populations.

The Partnership Program brings cancer information to people who may have difficulties seeking health information because of educational, financial, language, or other barriers. It also strives to increase partners’ awareness that cancer health disparities are a major public health problem where the burden of cancer falls disproportionately on certain racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.

The Research Program will help the CIS engage in research that helps both the Information Service and Partnership Program better understand, apply, and disseminate effective communication approaches to educate the public about cancer and contribute to the nation’s cancer control efforts.

The CIS collaborates with over 900 partners with special attention to populations most affected by cancer health disparities. The CIS also takes nearly 300,000 calls annually and has responded to over 10 million callers since its inception.

The selection announced yesterday will be a five-year contract totaling $3,357,527.