Connecting Underserved Populations with Colonoscopy Screening

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How do you encourage underserved populations to get screening colonoscopies?

A new study led by MSK and Mount Sinai researchers addresses this question for more than 300 low-income Latinx individuals living in New York City. A Cancer Network article describes the findings.

The researchers compared three initiatives: patient navigation; patient navigation alongside Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) print materials; and patient navigation with culturally targeted print materials. The authors define patient navigation as the use of a health care professional who helps patients “navigate and obtain medical care.” They found that while patient navigators increased the colonoscopy rate, the addition of either type of print material did not improve uptake of screening colonoscopy.

The authors acknowledge that their study looks at a very specific population and the results may not be generalizable. They call for further research into the effects of patient navigation.

Finding E-Books at MSKCC

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The MSKCC Library offers a mix of print and online books. Although some current books can be found on the shelves at the Library, our users should be aware that the most recent editions of many of the books on our shelves may be offered only online by the Library. Online books, as with all electronic resources, can be accessed on any of the MSKCC computers as well as remotely (via the VPN or by logging in as a remote user). While one can find print books by both browsing shelves at the Library or using ONESEARCH (search box) located on the Library homepage, e-books can be found only via ONESEARCH.

To find individual e-books, type the book information in the ONESEARCH box on the Library homepage. You can use the default search box (what is typically called Basic Search) or you can use Advanced Search for more precision. Continue reading →

The Latest Research on Cancer and Hair

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A recent study has made the news by showing a correlation between hair products including dye and straighteners and an increased risk for breast cancer. Over a six-year period, it found that hair dye use was associated with 45% higher breast cancer risk in black women and 7% higher risk in white women. Dr. Larry Norton, medical director of the Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center at MSK was quoted in the New York Times as saying, “You cannot, based on these data, make the statement that hair dyes and straighteners cause breast cancer” and that “these effects were small.”

While this study does not show a direct causal link between breast cancer and hair products, there is other interesting research related to cancer and hair. Recently, researchers including Dr. Mario E. Lacouture (Director of the MSK Oncodermatology Program) have studied how cancer treatment can adversely affect cancer patients hair.

Dr. Mario E. Lacouture. Source: Robert A. Lisak.

While most people are familiar with hair loss during chemotherapy, cancer treatments have been shown to contribute to a range of hair disorders. Researchers are now beginning to investigate how these hair disorders can affect cancer patients’ quality of life.