Native Hawaiian, Filipino Breast Cancer Survivors Sought For Lifestyle Research

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and University of Guam are seeking Native Hawaiian and Filipino breast cancer survivors to be part of a new study.

The study, “Traditional and New Lifestyle Interventions for Breast Cancer Prevention,” or TANICA, is a U54 Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity pre-pilot project. Survivors are being sought to share strategies that support a healthy lifestyle.

Female residents of Hawaiʻi who are breast cancer survivors, at least 18 years old and are of Native Hawaiian or Filipino ancestry are eligible to participate. Two focus groups with 4-9 women, lasting 60-90 minutes, will be conducted. Participants will be compensated for their time.

Led by UH-Mānoa assistant professor of nutrition Monica Esquivel, who is serving as investigator for the Hawaiʻi-based portion of the study, focus groups will be conducted from noon-4 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, and 8 a.m.-noon Tuesday, June 28, at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Urban Garden Center.

“We know that a healthy lifestyle, which includes getting enough movement throughout the day and eating a diet rich in fiber and low in saturated fat, can reduce breast cancer recurrence,” Esquivel, who is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, said in a press release. “Yet research studies in this area have taken place outside of Guam and Hawai’i and include few, if any, Asians and Pacific Islanders, so less is known on the effective strategies to help our communities to adhere to this healthy lifestyle.”

Findings from this study will help shed light on lifestyle factors that promote breast cancer survival based on current recommendations and experiences of breast cancer survivors.

For more information about the study, email [email protected] or click here to pre-register.