OVERALL: PROJECT SUMMARY
Lung cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among racial/ethnic minorities
and individuals from other medically underserved groups. Racial minorities and individuals from other medically
underserved groups have greater exposure to socioeconomic, financial, and other types of stressors (e.g., racial
discrimination, structural stress because of low social capital and neighborhood violence) that can increase their
risk for smoking and make it more difficult to quit. Chronic exposure to stress can trigger and disrupt biological
pathways that are important to smoking behaviors and increase risk for lung cancer and other diseases.
Therefore, the overarching goal and vision for the Translational Research Center in Lung Cancer Disparities
(TRACER) is to address racial disparities in lung cancer morbidity and mortality by developing more precise
strategies for lung cancer prevention and early detection. To accomplish this, TRACER will (1) discover cancer-
driving biological mechanisms leading to racial disparities in lung cancer morbidity and mortality and analyze
these mechanisms within the context of individual, social, and environmental determinants of health; (2) translate
research findings into novel prevention, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions; (3) develop an integrated inter-
institutional partnership that promotes transdisciplinary research and leverages the distinct capabilities at each
partner site to successfully obtain a P50 Cancer Disparities SPORE; and (4) promote bi-directional
communications between AA/Black communities and investigators regarding research priorities, the
development of culturally appropriate strategies for community engagement and participation in research, and
the dissemination of education and research outcomes. The translational research and related training, patient
and community engagement, and biospecimen collection activities in TRACER will focus explicitly on addressing
racial disparities in lung cancer morbidity and mortality in order to fulfill a critical need to develop precision
strategies for lung cancer prevention and early detection.