Saturday, March 21, 2026 3/21/2026

Longitudinal investigation of sociocultural and behavioral influences on symptom management, biological response, and functioning between Chinese and White breast cancer survivors.

Award Number: R01CA248413
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2027

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Longitudinal investigation of sociocultural and behavioral influences on symptom management, biological response, and functioning between Chinese and White breast cancer survivors. - The number of US cancer survivors is growing rapidly, including a significant number of Chinese Americans (CA), a group with an annual breast cancer growth rate of 1.1% and fast population growth. Our preliminary study showed that CA and non-Hispanic White (NHW) breast cancer survivors (BCS) experience varying levels of fatigue, pain, and poor physical functioning. While more Chinese Americans reported psychosocial stress (e.g. greater perceived threat and fear of losing socioeconomic resources), they paradoxically reported less depression than NHWs. It is unclear why CA BCS appeared emotionally resilient when they also showed physical vulnerability and reported fewer social resources for coping (i.e., social support and socioeconomic and healthcare resources). Whether such resilience is actually a cultural response, such as many Cas believing that emotional stress causes cancer and therefore underreporting their distress, needs to be further studied. Unexpressed chronic stress is related to higher cortisol and inflammation levels detrimental to health. Previous research has not investigated whether cultural differences between CA and NHW BCS affect their symptom severity and biological expression over time and their ways of managing symptoms. Prior data showed CA BCS eating more soy food and cruciferous vegetables than NHWs. Higher soy intake reduces menopausal symptoms and fatigue. Yet, CA BCS had lower adherence to physical activity guidelines than NHWs. Psychosocial stress, poor diet, insufficient exercise, fatigue, and pain are all related to chronic inflammation. Yet, Chinese practices in healthy diet and emotional balance may decrease inflammation. Our preliminary findings were based on self-reports, so we cannot explain how those multifaceted sociocultural and individual factors are intertwined to affect inflammation in the body and outcome differences between the two cultural groups. To comprehensively understand sociocultural influences on individual coping behaviors and how they in turn affect biological responses (i.e., inflammation and cortisol markers), symptom severity, and quality of life, we propose a bi-racial, cohort study among 235 CA and 235 NHW women diagnosed with stage 0-III breast cancer within 10 years. Utilizing a society-behavior-biology multilevel framework, we will investigate the dynamics of sociocultural, psychological, and behavioral (diet and exercise) influences on symptom severity, biological responses, and functional outcomes. Participants will complete telephone survey interviews and provide blood samples at baseline and 6- and 12-month post-baseline follow-ups. Next, in-depth individual interviews with a subset of samples will be conducted to investigate in depth the causative factors in the pathways to develop individually and culturally appropriate interventions conducive to improving clinical care for targeted cancer survivor populations. This aligns with one of the National Cancer Institute’s strategic priorities: understanding biobehavioral models of cancer survivorship to improve symptom control and survival.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $611,443 )
2026	2026	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY	MAIN CAMPUS	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	5	3/3/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$611,443
														Subtotal = $611,443

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $361,060 )
2025	2025	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY	MAIN CAMPUS	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	001	4	5/22/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$36,108
2025	2025	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY	MAIN CAMPUS	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	4	4/24/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$324,952
														Subtotal = $361,060

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2023	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY	MAIN CAMPUS	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	3	6/18/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $615,979 )
2023	2023	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY	MAIN CAMPUS	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	3	2/25/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$615,979
														Subtotal = $615,979

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $629,169 )
2022	2022	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (THE)	37TH AND O ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	2	3/21/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$577,806
2022	2022	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY	MAIN CAMPUS	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	001	2	7/7/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$51,363
														Subtotal = $629,169

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $693,255 )
2021	2021	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (THE)	37TH AND O ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	001	1	7/20/2021	NEW	$0
2021	2021	GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (THE)	37TH AND O ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20057	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Cancer Cause and Prevention Research	000	1	2/26/2021	NEW	$693,255
														Subtotal = $693,255

Grand Total All Awards = $2,910,906

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Longitudinal investigation of sociocultural and behavioral influences on symptom management, biological response, and functioning between Chinese and White breast cancer survivors.

Award Number: R01CA248413

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2027

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer