The people of Tennessee experience cancer-related mortality that is among the worst in the country. To address the issue, the Center for Cancer Research at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and UT Medical Center Cancer Institute in Knoxville recently hosted a retreat to plan a statewide collaborative transforming the landscape of cancer research.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the state. The CDC reports that Tennessee experienced the 21st highest cancer incidence rate and the sixth highest cancer mortality rate in the U.S. The age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates are 1.14 times as high as the national average. Rural areas in the mid-east, northwest, and Mississippi Delta areas of the state are the hardest hit, displaying the highest overall cancer incidence and mortality rates.
Amid this sobering landscape, leaders in cancer care and research at the University of Tennessee and its hospital partners see hope. With campuses spanning the state in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, UT is in a unique position to address the gaps causing Tennessee’s cancer numbers to outpace the national average.
The retreat, held February 7 in Nashville, brought together 53 participants from various departments, roles, and institutions, including UT Health Science Center campuses in Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, Regional One Health, UT Medical Center, the Tennessee Department of Health, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, UT Knoxville, and representatives from UT system leadership. The primary objectives were to unify interested parties, identify gaps and needs, promote collaboration, and coordinate efforts in cancer care, education, and research across the state.
“Coming together can make a dent on cancer mortality.”
Dr. Neil Hayes
Jessica Snowden, MD, vice chancellor for Research at UT Health Science Center, highlighted the significance of this initiative, expressing hope for a fruitful collaboration that could enhance both the health and economic well-being of Tennessee. “Our goal is to harness the collective power that we can bring to bear by pooling our strengths to reduce the physical, psychosocial, and economic impact of cancer on Tennesseans,” she said.
Neil Hayes, MD, assistant dean for Cancer Research and director of the Center for Cancer Research at UT Health Science Center, and Glen Balch, MD, director of the UT Medical Center Cancer Institute, co-chaired the retreat. “We see a lot of synergy between our campuses, and coming together can make a dent on cancer mortality,” Dr. Hayes said. “Our campuses could collaborate synergistically, enhancing our capabilities to combat cancer as a unified force,“ Dr. Balch added. “This collective effort would significantly impact cancer care in Tennessee and beyond.“
Discussions at the retreat centered on three potential areas for statewide collaboration: clinical trials, translational sciences, and population sciences. Attendees brainstormed about potential pilot projects, such as a clinical trial exploring chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck cancer, the creation of a statewide biobank for cancer-related research, and initiatives in population sciences.
Presentations provided insights into Tennessee’s cancer epidemiology, existing cancer programs, economic impacts, and how the state compares to its neighbors in terms of cancer resources and outcomes. Panel discussions explored the strengths and opportunities within the UT System and the potential for a UT-led statewide cancer initiative.
The event concluded with the drafting of a roadmap for cross-campus collaboration, moderated by Dr. Snowden, followed by breakout sessions on clinical trials, translational projects, and population data projects.
Participants left with a clear set of action items and follow-up plans to move their collective efforts forward to improve cancer research and care across Tennessee, including identifying other collaborators to join the initiative, establishing working groups to field pilot studies and identify potential infrastructure barriers, and develop plans for resources, tactics, and outcome measures over the next few months.
The group is also working on a white paper summarizing the state’s needs in cancer care and research, as well as the group’s plans to address those needs. If you are interested in joining this effort in the future, please contact Dr. Hayes or Dr. Balch.