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Community members’ op-ed argues for UH Cancer Center autonomy
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The importance of retaining the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center’s autonomy so that the center maintains its all-important National Cancer Institute designation is the topic of an opinion piece by a group of community members published in the June 5 issue of The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Written by Mari Martin, Peter Hirano and Dr. Claire Ku‘uleilani Hughes, and co-signed by Adelia Dung, the op-ed reads in part: “A restructuring that weakens that independence, no matter how it is defined, would risk losing our NCI designation, our funding and our ability to run critical clinical trials. It would divert attention from the center’s core mission.” Read the op-ed in the Star-Advertiser or on our website.
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Annual report spotlights center’s research, awards, human impact
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The UH Cancer Center is proud to release its 2024 Annual Report, a summary of the year's research discoveries, achievements, and strategic developments. It also includes a letter from Director Naoto T. Ueno, faculty profiles, compelling stories about cancer researchers and other center employees, patients and survivors, and more. Click to download 2024 Annual Report (PDF) or read with PDF Viewer.
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UH President Hensel takes learning tour of UH Cancer Center
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University of Hawai‘i President Wendy Hensel took her first learning tour of the UH Cancer Center on May 27. Hosted by center Director Naoto T. Ueno and center faculty and staff, Hensel toured the Ho‘ōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center under construction and the third-floor wet lab, heard research presentations from several faculty members, joined a lunch meeting with center leaders, and even made impromptu remarks before students in the center’s Cancer Research Education, Advancement, Training and Empowerment (CREATE) summer internship program. “We are extremely grateful to President Hensel for her time, attention and caring,” Ueno said. “And we appreciated the opportunity to share with her the critical role that the UH Cancer Center plays in saving lives in Hawai‘i and the Pacific, and addressing cancer health disparities in our unique island communities.” Read more about Hensel's visit here.
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Interns begin their summer at the UH Cancer Center
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We welcome our CREATE summer interns, who joined us starting in late May and continue through June 25 to conduct research across various projects here at the UH Cancer Center. CREATE (Cancer Research Education, Advancement, Training and Empowerment) provides hands-on summer research experiences and a multi-disciplinary curriculum for undergraduate students residing in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The program aims to reinforce their intent to graduate with a science degree, and encourages them to consider a career to address health disparities and contribute to drug discovery. To our 27 summer interns, we extend best wishes for a productive and enjoyable journey with the UH Cancer Center!
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Breast-density events draw scientists, Kaua‘i community
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One hundred experts from 11 countries gathered June 4-6 at the 11th International Breast Density Workshop to present the latest research, screening methods and imaging technologies. The conference hosted by the UH Cancer Center was held at the Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort, and organized by our Chief Scientific Officer Dr. John Shepherd. Breast density is a key risk factor in the development of breast cancer. On June 6, a special free session called “New Frontiers," featuring talks from research experts and cancer thrivers, drew about 30 members of the public. Click here to learn more about the International Breast Density Workshop.
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Skin✓ Van educates crowds on cancer prevention
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Our Skin✓ Van in May continued its campaign to prevent skin cancer, traveling to the health fair at Palama Settlement in Kalihi, and the Kakaʻako Farmers Market. The Community Engagement Office team saw a total of 104 people, who had the chance to play spin-the-wheel, learn about skin-cancer prevention from a flip-chart presentation, and check their skin pigmentation (a key indicator of skin cancer risk) with a Mexameter tool. Click here to learn more about the Skin✓ Van, see a schedule of appearances, or request a visit.
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Hawai‘i Public Radio spotlights UH Cancer Center hula hālau
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Nā Wāhine Hula ‘Akala, our UH Cancer Center’s hula hālau of cancer patients and survivors, is featured in a Hawaiʻi Public Radio interview. TeMoana Makolo has led the hālau since 2014 as part of a pilot study measuring the benefits of hula for cancer survivors. More than a decade later, dozens of women continue to dance in the hālau, and perform at UH Cancer Center events as well as in the community. HPR’s Maddie Bender talked with Makolo, UH Cancer Center researcher Dr. Erin Bantum, and hālau member Carol Lum. Listen to the interview here.
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Total Health’s 2025 ASCO Direct Honolulu Conference
June 28-29
Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach
Register
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Susan C. Hirano Cancer C.A.R.E. Community – patient support event
Saturday, July 5
Sullivan Conference Center
Updated registration information coming soon
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West Hawai‘i Cancer Symposium
September 5-6
Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Kailua-Kona
Only waiting list available
Follow this link, and fill out the form at bottom of page.
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WELCOME TO THE UH CANCER CENTER
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Keli‘i Nixon
Keli‘i Nixon is the new community health educator for the Kū Ola Project, a program to help Native Hawaiian men living in the islands to improve their health and well-being. He will be working with Dr. Kevin Cassel, Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement, to educate Native Hawaiian men about genitourinary cancers
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Junlong Wang
Junlong Wang is a postdoctoral fellow who will serve as a study coordinator for a clinical study of chronic liver diseases. He will work with a team from The Queen’s Medical Center to recruit and enroll patients into the program. Educated in China, Wang practiced medicine as a general surgeon there before enrolling in a PhD program in biomedical research at UH Mānoa and completing that degree last winter.
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Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia following Treatment for Metastatic Poorly Differentiated Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma: A Cautionary Sequel to an Exceptional Response.Nakasone ES, Cohen SA. Pancreas. 2025 May 29.
Paving the path ForwARd: Advances and challenges in androgen receptor targeting in breast cancer. Sridhar N, Iwase T, Xie X, Lee J, Damodaran S, Ueno NT. Cancer Treat Rev. 2025 May 15;138:102958.
Risk of aggressive prostate cancer with successive generations in the U.S. among Latino men. Chen F, Paik A, Sheng X, Cheng I, Shariff-Marco S, Wilkens LR, Le Marchand L, Conti DV, Haiman CA, Setiawan VW.J Natl Cancer Inst. 2025 May 27:djaf119.
Bridging Genomic Research Disparities in Osteoporosis GWAS: Insights for Diverse Populations. Wu Q, Dai J, Liu J, Wu L. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2025 May 24;23(1):24.
Stability and Variability of the Human Fecal Microbiome Over Two Years in the Multiethnic Cohort Study: A Metagenomic Analysis. Moosavi D, Curtis KR, Randolph TW, Kahsai OJ, Ammar H, Lim U, Cheng I, Wilkens LR, Le Marchand L, Lampe JW, Hullar MAJ. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2025 May 22.
Causal Relationship Between Blood Metabolites and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study. Liu S, Zhu J, Zhang H, Zhong H, Wong HTH, Wang L, Wu L. Mol Carcinog. 2025 May 19.
Associations between calcium intake and T cell infiltration in colorectal tumours. Wesselink E, Thomas CE, Takashima Y, Mizuno H, Buchanan DD, Qu C, Hsu L, Dias Costa A, Ugai S, Zhong Y, Huyghe JR, Thomas S, Gallinger S, Grant RC, Le Marchand L, Masugi Y, van Duijnhoven FJ, Ugai T, Ogino S, Nowak JA, Peters U, Phipps AI. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2025 May 15.
Particulate matter and their interaction of physical activity on ovarian cancer survival: A prospective cohort study. Zhang YY, Li Y, Luan M, Liu JM, Chen RJ, Cao F, Xu HL, Wu L, Huang DH, Li XY, Xiao Q, Ni S, Meng X, Gong TT, Wu QJ. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2025 Jun 15;298:118275.
Extracellular regucalcin reveals anti-cancer activity by suppressing cell growth and metastatic activity by blocking EGF signaling pathway in human glioblastoma cells in vitro. Yamaguchi M, Shimokawa N, Murata T. Cell Signal. 2025 Aug;132:111844.
Prediction of mammographic breast density based on clinical breast ultrasound images using deep learning: a retrospective analysis. Bunnell A, Valdez D, Wolfgruber TK, Quon B, Hung K, Hernandez BY, Seto TB, Killeen J, Miyoshi M, Sadowski P, Shepherd JA. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2025 Apr 18;46:101096.
Biologically active withanolides from Physalis peruviana. Sang-Ngern M, Fukuchi A, Kondratyuk TP, Park EJ, Simmons CJ, Wall MM, Lorch SE, Pezzuto JM, Chang LC. Pharm Biol. 2025 Dec;63(1):334-343.
Dietary intake and plasma isoflavones are inversely associated with inflammatory markers in breast cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study. Song S, Kim Z, Youn HJ, Cho J, Kim YS, Min JW, Choi SW, Franke AA, Jun S, Joung H, Lee JE. Nutr Res. 2025 Jun;138:22-32.
Insights from selenoprotein I mouse models for understanding biological roles of this enzyme. Nunes LGA, Ma C, Pitts MW, Hoffmann PR. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2025 Jun;768:110394.
Mitochondrial tRNA fragment, mt-tRF-Tyr-GTA-001 (tRF-21-X3OJI8EWB), in breast cancer and its potential clinical implications. Wang J, Katsaros D, Wang Z, Ma L, Casetta E, Fei P, Denti P, Grimaudo I, Chen S, Deng Y, Yu H. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2025 Jun;211(3):675-685.
Assessing the toxic dose of the potent antioxidant 3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol in rats. Watanabe M, Yoshiike K, Watanabe H, Yamaguchi M. Food Chem Toxicol. 2025 Jun;200:115360.
RAIN: a multistate research alliance to facilitate collaboration, increase student opportunities, and share core facility resources. Bothner B, Lusetti SL, Seville RS, Baker JE, Barnes B, Hoffmann PR, Hovde CJ. Adv Physiol Educ. 2025 Jun 1;49(2):374-385.
Extracellular regucalcin reveals anti-cancer activity by suppressing cell growth and metastatic activity by blocking EGF signaling pathway in human glioblastoma cells in vitro. Yamaguchi M, Shimokawa N, Murata T. Cell Signal. 2025 Aug;132:111844.
Diet, Activity and Sleep Clusters Associated With Obesity Markers of Children in the US-Affiliated Pacific. Dumuid D, Yamanaka AB, Chong KH, Okely AD, Wilkens LR, Shvetsov YB, Lozano CP, Novotny R. Acta Paediatr. 2025 Jul;114(7):1642-1652.
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Honolulu, HI 96813
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