The Health Science Center’s Bradley H. Pollock, M.P.H., Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, has joined prominent members of the scientific, medical and advocacy communities to develop a national agenda for adolescent and young adult cancer treatment and survivorship research.
The Adolescent Young Adult Oncology Progress Review Group (AYAO-PRG) is a collaborative effort between the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The two organizations joined to establish a group that will solicit input from the research, clinical and advocacy communities about individuals aging from 15 to 39 years.
“Over the last two decades, the five-year survival rate for cancer patients has improved in all age groups except adolescents and young adults,” Dr. Pollock said. “There are several theories that suggest why this is the case. Our PRG will review them and create a national agenda to address these disparities. The goal is to improve outcomes for adolescents and young adults by eliminating suffering and death from cancer.”
PRGs represent one mechanism to assess the state of the science for a particular disease or health problem, identify research gaps and resource needs, and make recommendations for future research. The NCI selected the nation’s top experts in their fields to join the AYAO-PRG.
“I feel privileged to be serving in this PRG,” Dr. Pollock said. “There is a lack of attention paid to the adolescent and young adult cancer patients and they are now recognized to be an underserved population. With many potential years of life saved, we need to find better ways to reduce the burden of cancer in this population.”
Dr. Pollock joined the Health Science Center in 2001. His main research focus is on cancer epidemiology and prevention research, which he has studied for 18 years.
