The Biennial Symposia on Minorities, the Medically Underserved & Cancer is the main program convened by the Intercultural Cancer Council (ICC). The purpose of this application is to seek funding for the 8th and 9th Biennial Symposia, as we have done for previous Symposia. However, as a result of the gratifying success of the Symposium series, and based on conversations with NCI staff, we are proposing to extend the normal grant period to four years in order to cover both the next two Symposia. This will facilitate maintaining continuity and will reinforce the positive impact of the conferences during the interim non-meeting years. It will also allow us to pursue longer-term needs assessment and outcomes measures. The Symposia are scheduled for February, 2002 and 2004, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. There is a disproportionate incidence of cancer morbidity and mortality among minorities and persons of low level income in the United States. Consequently, there is a critical need to develop knowledge and strategies to address this crisis with the leadership and full participation of the affected communities. The Biennial Symposia on Minorities, Medically Underserved & Cancer were initiated in 1987 to provide a multicultural forum for this purpose. The overall goals of the series in general and the upcoming 8d' and 9t' Symposia in particular are to: (1) exchange the latest scientific and treatment information and to share strategies for reducing the disproportionate incidence of cancer morbidity and mortality among minorities and the medically underserved in the United States; (2) enhance the competency of health care providers, laypersons and survivors in the areas of primary and secondary cancer prevention, early detection and treatment; and (3) promote culturally competent cancer care and services and ethnically balanced research. Additional specific aims of the 8d' Biennial Symposium will be to: (1) address topics newly identified through evaluation data from the 7h Biennial Symposium and the ongoing planning process of the ICC; and (2) provide a forum for federal agencies to identify and discuss their responses to the unequal burden of cancer among minority and medically underserved populations, e.g., the NCI Strategic Plan to Reduce Health Disparities, the Special Populations Networks for cancer Awareness Research and Training, and publication of the NCI's Response and Actions Related to the Report from tyre Institute of Medicine. The Intercultural Cancer Council along with a distinguished roster of advisors and consultants are designing a program that will involve representatives from the full continuum of cancer and minority health research, care, and policy development. The Symposium format will include scientific presentation, panel discussions, posters and audience participation in Q&A sessions. There will be a multimedia educational resources center and networking opportunities will be promoted. Edited proceedings of the Symposium and selected student abstracts and presentations will be published in professional journals.
