WISCONSIN CANCER COLLABORATIVE NEWS

County Cancer Profiles Available Now!

The new Wisconsin County Cancer Profiles, with a specific profile for each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, are now available online.

The two-page profiles offer the opportunity to see how your county compares to statewide averages and other counties around the state. They combine data from multiple sources, such as the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System, the Wisconsin Immunization Registry, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the U.S. Census.

WISCONSIN CANCER COLLABORATIVE NEWS

Wisconsin Cancer Exhibit and Summit Sponsorship Opportunities Open!

Dr. Noelle LoConte, Principal Investigator for the Wisconsin Cancer Collaborative, was named a Fellow by the American Society of Clinical Oncologists at their annual meeting in Chicago in June.

The FASCO distinction recognizes ASCO members for their extraordinary volunteer service, dedication, and commitment to ASCO.

Dr. LoConte is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center. Dr. LoConte’s clinical interests are in gastrointestinal cancers and cancer of any type in older adults.

Congratulations Dr. LoConte!

A short list of funding opportunities, calls for proposals, and other news from our members and partners.

To submit an announcement for an upcoming newsletter, please email us.

PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENT

VioScreen Dietary Assessment Tool  

Viocare’s scientifically validated and HIPAA compliant dietary assessment tool, VioScreen is a unique self-administered web and mobile questionnaire that incorporates over 1,500 food images used by patients to select foods they consume with details on frequency, portion size, and preparation.

VioScreen captures a patient’s ninety-day dietary history in about twenty minutes, compares that history to established nutritional guidelines, and produces reports that make concrete, actionable recommendations for dietary change. The product enables healthcare providers to incorporate affordable, effective nutritional counseling into their standard of care, or to enhance nutritional counseling services that are already being provided. If you are interested in learning more, please contact John Ducharme at ducharme@viocare.com. 

ARTICLE

New Survey Results About Experiences of LGBTQ+ Cancer Patients

The latest Survivor Views survey from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) of 200 LGBTQ+ patients and survivors nationwide who have been diagnosed with or treated for cancer in the last seven years was conducted between May 19-23, 2023. According to the survey, half (50%) of LGBTQ+ cancer patients and survivors report they are concerned they may face discrimination in a health care setting. More than one-third (37%) have experienced discrimination in a health care setting due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, and 75% of those who say they experienced discrimination feel it impacted their health care. These concerns and experiences are resulting in barriers to receiving timely and gender-affirming cancer care. 

ARTICLE

Childhood Cancer Survivors at Increased Risk for Sleep Concerns 30 Years After Diagnosis  

Compared with siblings, survivors of childhood cancer have an increased risk for sleep concerns up to 30 years after diagnosis, according to a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. A recent article published in the journal of Sleep found that one-third to 40% of the study population reported insomnia symptoms. There may be an opportunity for cognitive behavioral therapy interventions to reduce sleep medication use. 

RESOURCES

New Publication on LGBTQ+ Cancer Issues  



There are minimal resources available that help providers understand unique issues sexual and gender minority (SGM) people face related to cancer screening and care. This article discusses key issues related to cancer and this population, including changing demographics, no presumption of care, other access to care barriers, systematic data suppression, and then the lack of population-specific cancer research. Building welcoming environments and expressing value for SGM employees in the workplace is a key strategy discussed for creating a welcoming environment for patients because it allows for internal process review and cascades to patient-facing interactions.  

REPORT

Lymphedema Care Insurance Coverage  



Lymphedema sometimes occurs due to cancer treatment, which is a build-up of lymph fluid in the fatty tissues just under your skin, sometimes causing swelling and discomfort. Complete decongestive therapy is currently the standard of care for lymphedema, and surgical techniques have demonstrated potential to further improve outcomes. A recent study published in JAMA Surgery suggests that in the United States, less than 12% of individuals with health insurance, and even fewer patients without health insurance, have access to both pneumatic compression and surgical treatments for lymphedema. Most insurance companies offered coverage for nonprogrammable (82.1%) and programmable (79.1%) pneumatic compression. However, few insurance companies offered coverage for debulking (19.4%) or physiologic (7.5%) procedures. Therefore, many patients struggle with access to adequate care.  

RESOURCES

New Toolkit from the National LGBT Cancer Network

The National LGBT Cancer Network developed social media shareables focused on access to care, LGBTQ+ screening, and HPV. This project was piloted in New York and is now available for national use. 

If you would like graphics co-branded or access to any of the original assets, please contact Info@cancer-network.org  

For more info about the NY campaign please visit: https://qhip.cancer-network.org/ 

RESOURCES

Reducing Financial Toxicity: Tips for Patient Navigators - Now in Spanish! 

Reducing Financial Toxicity: Tips for Patient Navigators can now be found in Spanish, thanks to a collaboration with Nuestras Voces (Our Voices) Network. The tip sheet from the George Washington Cancer Center describes financial toxicity, outlines the role of patient navigators in supporting and mitigating financial toxicity, and provides a list of helpful resources to support financial navigation.

REPORT

Randomized Trial Helps Women in Rural Areas Get Cancer Screenings 

Women living in rural areas have lower rates of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening compared with women living in urban settings. Researchers wanted to address the need for all cancer screenings at the same time, especially since many patients may need to travel long distances for appointments.

A randomized clinical trial utilizing a mailed DVD (since at the time of the study many people had issues with internet access), mailed DVD plus over the phone patient navigation or usual care (such as a phone call reminder) was evaluated in rural women in Indiana and Ohio and cancer screening rates were measured a year later.

In the trial, providing rural women with an interactive video of tailored messages about cancer screening plus a phone call with a patient navigator was the most effective way of getting them up to date on all three cancer screenings. 

RESOURCES

New Cervical Cancer Toolkit for Health Care Providers 

The Toolkit to Build Provider Capacity is for safety-net setting of care providers, including physicians, nurses, medical assistants, administrative staff, community health workers, patient navigators, care coordinators, and others. Providers can use the toolkit to improve quality of care, train staff, communicate and engage with patients, and evaluate current cervical cancer programs.

STUDY

Hospital-Provided Rideshare Service Associated with Improved Radiation Therapy Completion 

University Hospitals in Cleveland offers a free rideshare program for patients undergoing radiation therapy who need transportation support. A retrospective matched cohort study comparing patients who used the rideshare program to those who did not, found that the radiation treatment completion rates were 97% for people who used the rideshare program versus 85% for people who did not use the program. Free rideshare programs are economically feasible and were associated with high treatment completion rates and may particularly help enhance care for people in resource limited communities.  

This article may be behind a paywall.

STUDY

Trends in Reasons for HPV Vaccine Hesitancy  



A study was recently published in Pediatrics analyzing data from the 2010-2020 National Immunization Survey-Teen, which included the top five cited reasons for parents not intending to vaccinate their children against HPV. The five most frequently cited reasons for not intending to vaccinate included “not necessary,” “safety concerns,” “lack of recommendation,” “lack of knowledge,” and “not sexually active.” Mostly notably, the proportion of parents citing “safety or side effects” as a reason for vaccine hesitancy increased significantly by 15.6% annually from 2010 to 2018. The proportion of parents citing “not recommended,” “lack of knowledge,” or “child not sexually active” as reasons for vaccine hesitancy decreased significantly by 6.8%, 9.9%, and 5.9% respectively per year between 2013 and 2020. No significant changes were observed for parents citing “not necessary.” This study supports the need to address parental safety concerns around HPV vaccination.  

This article may be behind a paywall.

JOURNAL ARTICLE

New ACS Report: Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Facts & Figures, 2023-2024 



In a new report released from the American Cancer Society (ACS), researchers discuss recent statistics and trends and both favorable and unfavorable changes in major cancer risk factors, preventive behaviors/services, and screening in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the United States, 45% of the 609,820 cancer deaths estimated to occur in 2023 are expected to be attributable to cancer risk factors that are all potentially modifiable through lifestyle changes.

This article may be behind a paywall.

CAMPAIGN

Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Campaign



George Washington Cancer Center released a new Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Awareness Campaign, developed through funding and support from the CDC. You'll find data, information about best practices, tips for communicating with diverse audiences, and new social media messages and graphics.

DATA BRIEF

New Data on Cancers Diagnosed through 2020  

The first official federal data (using U.S. Cancer Statistics) were published about new cancer cases and deaths through 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall cancer incidence, which was relatively stable from 2011 to 2019, dropped sharply in 2020. The decline in incidence was observed among both men and women as well as among racial and ethnic groups and age groups.   

Cancer rates vary each year due to changes in risk factors, screening test use, diagnostic practices, and treatment. But some changes in 2020 may also be due to disruptions and delays in cancer care caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and registry reporting delays. Changes in cancer incidence may be apparent immediately while changes in death rates may take years to see. CDC is monitoring data to understand the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer incidence and mortality.  

RESOURCES

Spanish Cancer Awareness Cards for Members of the LGBTQ+ Community



These cards designed by the National LGBT Cancer Network and Nuestras Voces Network aim to raise awareness about colorectal, breast, lung, and cervical cancer among Spanish-speaking members of the LGBTQ+ community. There are also cards that address the need for taking care of an individual’s physical and mental health. 

SUPPORT GROUP

Cancer Transitions: Moving Beyond Treatment

Hosted by Gilda's Club.

July 13

4:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Reducing the burden of cancer

for everyone.

www.wicancer.org