My career goal is to become a skilled preventive oncologist who can independently conduct research projects to determine risk factors, risk-reduction modalities, and interventions to increase acceptance and use of breast, prostate, and cervical cancer prevention services in high-risk populations. Using the Transition Career Development Award (K22) grant, my immediate objectives are to identify the factors that influence the acceptance of breast cancer chemoprevention with selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), and to increase the depth of my knowledge in this field by taking related didactic courses in behavioral science, health education and health promotion. I plan to attend national and international conferences, seminars, and symposia; serve in working and study groups in related fields; write scientific papers; and make presentations. The proposed research is important because breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. There will be an estimated 211,300 new cases and 39,800 deaths from breast cancer in the United States in 2003. SERMs such as tamoxifen are approved for chemoprevention therapy in women at high risk for breast cancer. Although tamoxifen was reported to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in high-risk women by 49%, breast cancer chemoprevention therapy has not gained wide acceptance. The few studies that have addressed the determinants of acceptance of chemoprevention therapy have used mainly clinical trial participants and included few minority women and women of low socioeconomic status. Consequently, there is little information on the correlates of chemoprevention therapy acceptance to provide a basis for educational interventions. The hypothesis of the proposed study is that women with an elevated risk for breast cancer will differ in their willingness to accept ? chemoprevention therapy with SERMs by socioeconomic status, ethnic/racial background, and level of knowledge and attitude about breast cancer chemoprevention.
The specific aims of this proposal are (1) to validate a questionnaire to assess the attitude of women to accept breast cancer chemoprevention, (2) to quantitatively assess their knowledge and beliefs about breast cancer chemoprevention using the constructs of the Health Belief Model, and (3) to identify correlates of willingness to accept chemoprevention therapy.
These aims will be achieved by using a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 350 women stratified by menopausal status and race/ethnicity who are at increased risk for breast cancer and are ethnically representative of the Harris County, Texas population. Eligible participants will be recruited from women who visit the diagnostic/screening centers of The Rose organization in Houston. Women who consent to participate in the study will be assessed through telephone interviews using questionnaires. This project has the potential to provide further insight into the correlates of acceptance of chemoprevention therapy, especially in ethnic minority women, and so be a foundation for future educational intervention to improve the acceptance of breast cancer chemoprevention therapy. ? ? ?
| Cyrus-David, Mfon S (2010) Knowledge and accuracy of perceived personal risk in underserved women who are at increased risk of breast cancer. J Cancer Educ 25:617-23 |
| Cyrus-David, Mfon; King, Jason; Bevers, Therese et al. (2009) Validity assessment of the Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Health Belief scale. Cancer 115:4907-16 |
| Cyrus-David, Mfon S (2006) The future of women of minority race/ethnicity in breast cancer chemoprevention therapy. Ethn Dis 16:216-22 |
