Cancer Prevention Programs
The mission of the research division of family and community medicine (FCM) at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Paul L. Foster School of Medicine is to advance the science of family medicine through the generation of knowledge to improve the health of the predominantly Hispanic U.S.-Mexico border population that we serve. The division seeks to become nationally recognized among departments of family medicine for engaging in high quality primary care research that improves the health of our community and eliminates disparities in health care.
A major research focus area for the division is cancer prevention and control, and
this is very much in line with the institutional goals of the cancer center of emphasis
with which the department is closely aligned. Cancer remains the second leading cause
of death in the U.S., and although survival from cancer has improved over time, it
is very much stage dependent with the best hope of cure being earlier diagnosis and
prevention. Our community suffers from a disproportionately high burden of some cancers,
particularly breast and cervical cancer, and has lower rates of screening than other
populations. There is a rich environment for developing a research program in FCM.
There is strong institutional and departmental support for the research division,
and access to a diverse clinic and community population for research. The department
currently has two federally funded investigators that are focusing on recruiting new
investigators to join this team with expertise in behavioral science, epidemiology,
patient provider communication, health promotion, health services research, or community
based participatory research.
Since the research division was established in the fall of 2010, we have been funded on 20 different grants from agencies such as the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Our grant portfolio (up until April 2014) includes a total amount of over $10 million dollars in funding. In addition, we have grants pending that are under review. FCM departmental faculty and residents have a diverse range of interests which are reflected in the scholarly output from the department.