Our research is focused on the molecular and global epidemiology of cancers of the head and neck, thyroid, endometrium, ovary, lung, testis, and colorectum. The goals of our research are to identify genetic and lifestyle risk factors for cancer, and to evaluate the long-term health effects among cancer survivors.
There are over 100,000 cancer survivors in Utah, with an additional 11,000 Utahns diagnosed with cancer each year. The aim of this study is to learn about the long term health effects and quality of life experience of cancer survivors. Although the immediate side effects of cancer treatment are known, less is known for effects that may occur years after cancer treatment.
Each year in the world, 600,000 individuals are diagnosed with head and neck cancer, which includes cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx. Genetic variants in alcohol metabolism genes have been identified as head and neck cancer susceptibility genes, but the role of other genes is unclear. In this study we will exome sequence 200 familial head and neck cancer cases, apply case-control mutation screening to the candidate predisposition genes identified in 2,000 cases and 2,000 controls, and assess whether the genetic risks differ by subsite and epidemiologic risk groups.
The INHANCE consortium is a collaboration of research groups leading large molecular epidemiology studies of head and neck cancer. We aim to improve the understanding of the causes and mechanisms of head and neck cancer. We are currently developing the first risk prediction models for HNC and for oral cavity, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and laryngeal cancer. (http://www.inhance.utah.edu)
In East Asia, 68,500 individuals are diagnosed with head and neck cancer each year. Approximately 62% of men and 6% of women smoke tobacco in East Asia, but the incidence rates of head and neck cancer are low. The aim of the study is to understand the role of lifestyle and environmental factors (tobacco, alcohol, indoor air pollution, green tea), genetics and HPV infection in the development of head and neck cancer in Asia.
Of the 1.3 million cases of lung cancer estimated to occur each year worldwide, 672,000 cases occur in low and middle income countries (LMC). Lung cancer is the most common cancer among men and the third most common cancer among women in Nepal. This case-control study is designed to investigate the lung cancer risk profile in a LMC, exposure biomarkers and genetic susceptibility.
Patients with Hodgkin lymphoma are more likely to suffer from mental-health and substance-abuse disorders than the general population. Calling for more attention to mental health, a study published August 2 in Cancer by researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute found people with the disease had higher risks of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicide, and self-inflicted injuries. ... Read More
Younger B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) survivors had a higher relative risk of developing age-related diseases than older B-NHL survivors five years of more after cancer diagnosis, according to results published in Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. ... Read More
Siqi Hu, PhD, is a member of the Hashibe Lab at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Hu presented results at the 2021 virtual American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting that women diagnosed with ovarian cancer were more than three times more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness such as anxiety, depression, and adjustment disorder than the general public.... Read More
Presenting at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. April 10, 2021. Virtual Poster Presentations.... Read More
At its core, Huntsman Cancer Institute is dedicated to creating an environment that not only promotes—but insists upon—equity, diversity, and inclusion. Read highlights of noteworthy programs and research from the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program that advance HCI’s quest to create a cancer-free frontier for all communities, no matter their location, income, or insurance status. ... Read More
March 10, 2020. Esther Chang, Qinging Hu, Seungmin Kim, and Krista Ocier presented their posters a the HCI/Nature Conference on Transdisciplinary Cancer Interception: Leveraging Biology to Improve Prevention and Detection... Read More
