The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) has published a supplemental issue of Cancer Causes and Control to mark the Network’s 20^th anniversary.

The supplement is separated into five subthemes: (1) Addressing Equity Through CPCRN, (2) Capacity Building, (3) Partnership Engagement, (4) Rural Cancer Prevention and Control, and (5) Future Cancer Needs and Priorities. The 21 articles co-written by Network members, partners, and affiliates detail frameworks to address disparities in cancer prevention, strategies to build capacity and engagement across community partners, and considerations on working with medically underserved populations, such as rural and bicultural communities. 

The closing article, titled “The Special Sauce of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network: 20 years of Lessons Learned in Developing the Evidence Base, Building Community Capacity and Translating Research into Practice”, describes the nature and extent of collaborations within CPCRN publications and illustrates the strategies, expertise, and key structures and processes that have enabled CPCPN’s work.

The supplement was guest-edited by CPCRN members, Drs. Prajakta Adsul (University of New Mexico), Cam Escoffery (Emory University), Aaron Seaman (University of Iowa), Cynthia Thomson (University of Arizona), and Stephanie Wheeler (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).

“Together, these articles represent the tremendous breadth and depth of CPCRN research products in the current funding cycle,” said Dr. Stephanie Wheeler, Principal Investigator (PI) of the CPCRN coordinating center.  “Our members have been able to generate and sustain an impressive number of novel research ideas that they have then executed through projects which have helped transform the science of cancer prevention and control.  From studies focused on reducing cancer risk exposure to ensuring timely cancer screening and early detection all the way through to optimizing guideline-concordant treatment and survivorship care, our members are invested in leveraging collaborative wisdom with community partners to achieve the best possible cancer health outcomes for all.”

A CPCRN member since 2019, the University of Iowa (UI) is proud to have played an integral part in the writing and release of this supplement, contributing a total of seven articles.

“As a newer CPCRN member, it was exciting and inspiring for me to see the diversity of network research and engagement over the past two decades and to work with the guest editorial team on how best to tell the network’s story,” says Dr. Aaron Seaman, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa.

Dr. Natoshia Askelson, principal investigator for the UI CPCRN, sees the immense value of being a part of a collaborative research and engagement network. “With Iowa having the second highest incidence rate for cancer in the U.S., these collaborative efforts are more important than ever to address cancer disparities we are seeing including rural communities,” she says.

Dr. Sarah Nash, assistant professor of epidemiology, hopes that her article about identifying research practices toward achieving health equity principles within the CPCRN will encourage others to use the supplement as a resource. “It was really exciting to be part of a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional team to create a toolkit which we hope will help researchers increase their consideration of health equity in their research,” she says.

Others from the University of Iowa who contributed articles include Aaron Seaman, Whitney Zahnd, Mary Charlton, Jacklyn Engelbart, Heidi Haines, Amanda Kahl, Madison Wahlen, Ingrid Lizarraga, and Jason Semprini.

“CPCRN is the largest and longest-running thematic research network supported by CDC’s Prevention Research Centers Program,” said Lisa C. Richardson, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. “Over the past two decades, CPCRN has played a critical role in creating and translating the evidence of what works into practice, with an emphasis on alleviating differences in cancer outcomes for all populations.”

Reflecting on how the Network’s partnerships have impacted communities and policies in the past two decades, Dr. Wheeler said, “It’s really about three key elements—the power of people from diverse backgrounds, working within carefully designed structures and processes, who are willing to adapt to real-world challenges like COVID19, to see beyond one research project, and to think about systems transformation that can bring about larger change.”

The supplement has been published open access by SpringerNature and the full issue is available here. Articles included in the supplement can also be individually downloaded by following the links below:

Introductory Article

Twenty years of collaborative research to enhance community practice for cancer prevention and control
Arica White, Susan A. Sabatino, Mary C. White, Cynthia Vinson, David A. Chambers & Lisa C. Richardson

Sub-Theme 1: Addressing Equity Through CPCRN

Principles to operationalize equity in cancer research and health outcomes: lessons learned from the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network
Perla Chebli, Prajakta Adsul, Julie Kranick, Catherine L. Rohweder, Betsy C. Risendal, Emily Bilenduke, Rebecca Williams, Stephanie Wheeler, Simona C. Kwon & Chau Trinh-Shevrin

From study plans to capacity building: a journey towards health equity in cancer survivorship
Prajakta Adsul, Jessica D. Austin, Perla Chebli, Emanuelle M. Dias, Rachel Hirschey, Priyanka Ravi, Aaron T. Seaman, Rosi Vogel

Identifying research practices toward achieving health equity principles within the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network
Prajakta Adsul, Jessica Islam, Perla Chebli, Julie Kranick, Sarah Nash, Hannah Arem, Stephanie Wheeler, Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, Victoria Foster, Rashmi K. Sharma, Tisha Felder, Betsy Risendal, Enmanuel A. Chavarria, Simona Kwon, Rachel Hirschey & Chau Trinh-Shevrin

Measuring and addressing health equity: an assessment of cancer center designation requirements
Jason T. Semprini, Caitlin B. Biddell, Jan M. Eberth, Mary E. Charlton, Sarah H. Nash, Katherine A. Yeager, Donoria Evans, Purnima Madhivanan, Heather M. Brandt, Natoshia M. Askelson, Aaron T. Seaman & Whitney E. Zahnd

Supporting implementation science and health equity in cancer prevention and control through research networks
Prajakta Adsul, Stephanie B. Wheeler, Alexa L. Young, Rebecca J. Lee & Heather M. Brandt

Sub-Theme 2: Capacity-Building

Twenty years of capacity building across the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network
Mary Wangen, Cam Escoffery, Maria E. Fernandez, Daniela B. Friedman, Peggy Hannon, Linda K. Ko, Annette E. Maxwell, Courtney Petagna, Betsy Risendal, Catherine Rohweder & Jennifer Leeman

Mixed methods evaluation of the inaugural year of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network’s (CPCRN) scholars program
Cam Escoffery, Courtney N. Petagna, Mary Wangen, Kimberly J. Flicker, Samuel B. Noblet, Mayank Sakhuja, Cynthia A. Thomson, Elaine H. Morrato, Swann Adams, Jennifer Leeman & Daniela B. Friedman

Implementation studio: implementation support program to build the capacity of rural community health educators serving immigrant communities to implement evidence-based cancer prevention and control interventions
Linda K. Ko, Thuy Vu, Sonia Bishop, Jennifer Leeman, Cam Escoffery, Rachel L. Winer, Miriana C. Duran, Manal Masud & Yaniv Rait

Optimizing process flow diagrams to guide implementation of a colorectal cancer screening intervention in new settings
Meghan C. O’Leary, Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Daniel S. Reuland, Alison T. Brenner, Alexis A. Moore, Shana Ratner, Sarah A. Birken & Stephanie B. Wheeler

Sub-Theme 3: Partnership Engagement

Patient preferences for the design of a pharmacy-based colorectal cancer screening program
Alison T. Brenner, Austin R. Waters, Mary Wangen, Catherine Rohweder, Olufeyisayo Odebunmi, Macary Weck Marciniak, Renée M. Ferrari, Stephanie B. Wheeler & Parth D. Shah

A practical method for integrating community priorities in planning and implementing cancer control programs
Emily Bilenduke, Andrea J. Dwyer, Elsa S. Staples, Kristin Kilbourn, Patricia A. Valverde, Maria E. Fernández & Betsy C. Risendal

Uptake of colorectal cancer screening after mailed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) outreach in a newly eligible 45–49-year-old community health center population
Meghan C. O’Leary, Daniel S. Reuland, Sara Y. Correa, Alexis A. Moore, Teri L. Malo, Xianming Tan, Catherine L. Rohweder, Stephanie B. Wheeler & Alison T. Brenner

Sub-Theme 4: Rural Cancer Prevention and Control

Engaging stakeholders in the use of an interactive simulation tool to support decision-making about the implementation of colorectal cancer screening interventions
Meghan C. O’Leary, Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Maria E. Mayorga, Karen Hicklin, Melinda M. Davis, Alison T. Brenner, Daniel S. Reuland, Sarah A. Birken & Stephanie B. Wheeler

Losing a part of life: experiences of cancer survivors accessing treatment and sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic
Karen E. Wickersham, Kristin E. Morrill, Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, Sue P. Heiney, Jaron J. King, Purnima Madhivanan & Rachel Hirschey

Prioritizing rural populations in state comprehensive cancer control plans: a qualitative assessment
Rachel Hirschey, Catherine Rohweder, Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan M. Eberth, Prajakta Adsul, Yue Guan, Katherine A. Yeager, Heidi Haines, Paige E. Farris, Jennifer W. Bea, Andrea Dwyer, Purnima Madhivanan, Radhika Ranganathan, Aaron T. Seaman, Thuy Vu, Karen Wickersham, Maihan Vu, Randall Teal, Kara Giannone, Alison Hilton, Allison Cole, Jessica Y. Islam & Natoshia Askelson

Effect of rurality and travel distance on contralateral prophylactic mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer
Madison M. Wahlen, Ingrid M. Lizarraga, Amanda R. Kahl, Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan M. Eberth, Linda Overholser, Natoshia Askelson, Rachel Hirschey, Katherine Yeager, Sarah Nash, Jacklyn M. Engelbart & Mary E. Charlton

Multi-level predictors of being up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening
Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Sarah D. Mills, Tzy-Mey Kuo, Chris D. Baggett & Stephanie B. Wheeler

Sub-Theme 5: Future Cancer Needs and Priorities

Re-visiting the Call for Translation of Cancer Survivorship Research: Collaborative Multidisciplinary Approaches to Improve Translation and Dissemination
Betsy Risendal, Cynthia A. Thomson, Aaron Seaman, Rachel Hirschey & Linda Overholser

Equitable implementation of lung cancer screening: Avoiding its potential to mirror existing inequities among people who use tobacco
Emily Bilenduke, Shacoria Anderson, Alison Brenner, Jessica Currier, Jan M. Eberth, Jaron King, Stephanie R. Land, Betsy C. Risendal, Jackilen Shannon, Leeann N. Siegel, Mary Wangen, Austin R. Waters, Whitney E. Zahnd & Jamie L. Studts

Closing Article

The special sauce of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network: 20 years of lessons learned in developing the evidence base, building community capacity, and translating research into practice
Stephanie B. Wheeler, Rebecca J. Lee, Alexa L. Young, Adam Dodd, Charlotte Ellis, Bryan J. Weiner, Kurt M. Ribisl, Prajakta Adsul, Sarah A. Birken, María E. Fernández, Peggy A. Hannon, James R. Hébert, Linda K. Ko, Aaron Seaman, Thuy Vu, Heather M. Brandt & Rebecca S. Williams

About CRCPN

The Network was initiated in October 2002, as part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) ongoing efforts to translate research findings more effectively into practice and policy, with a special focus on the unmet needs of populations at higher risk of getting cancer and dying from it.

Over the past two decades, the Network has been successful in influencing local clinic practices, state cancer plans, and national organizations’ practices and policies. The supplemental issue of Cancer Causes and Control reflects on the Network’s successes and lessons learned.

CPCRN’s 247 current members comprise academic, public health, clinical, health system organizational, and community partners who work together to reduce the burden of cancer, especially among those disproportionately affected. The Network’s vision is to reduce the burden of cancer in U.S. populations and eliminate cancer disparities.  Focused on cancer research through a health equity lens, the Network conducts community-engaged research across eight collaborating Network centers funded by the CDC, including the Colorado School of Public Health (led by Dr. Betsy Risendal), Emory University (led by Dr. Cam Escoffery), New York University – City University of New York (led by Dr. Chau Trinh-Shevrin), University of Arizona (led by Dr. Cynthia Thomson and Dr. David Garcia), University of Iowa (led by Dr. Natoshia Askelson), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (led by Dr. Alison Brenner and Dr. Rachel Hirschey), University of South Carolina (led by Dr. Daniela Friedman, Dr. James Hébert, and Dr. Swann Adams), and University of Washington (led by Dr. Linda Ko). The UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP), hosts the Network’s coordinating center, led by Dr. Stephanie Wheeler as Principal Investigator.

In 2022, CPCRN celebrated its 20^th anniversary by hosting a webinar titled “20 Years of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN): Past, Present, and Future.” The virtual event reached more than 150 total attendees, and Network member panelists shared information about collaborative work carried out across the Network.  The webinar highlighted tools and programs collectively developed and implemented across multicenter workgroups, discussed current works in progress, and explored areas for research and practice growth in implementation science.

Funding Acknowledgement

This journal supplement is a product of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN). CPCRN-supported institutions receive funding support under Cooperative Agreement Numbers U48 DP006377, U48 DP006396, U48 DP006413, U48 DP006399, U48 DP006389, U48 DP006400, U48 DP006401, U48 DP006398 from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through its Prevention Research Center Program. The ideas expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.