Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for African American Families and Lung Cancer Study

Study Description

Brief Summary: This study will learn more about the beliefs of family members of African American patients with lung cancer and whether these beliefs are associated with their interest in genetic testing for disease risk and willingness to participate in genetics research. Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the United States. Like most cancers, there are racial and ethnic disparities (gaps) in lung cancer cases and deaths. The age-adjusted rates for blacks and whites (years 2000 to 2003) was 76.9 per 100,000 and 66.0 per 100,000, respectively. Mortality rates were 62.5 per 100,000 for blacks and 55.3 per 100,000 for whites. Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of lung cancer. Findings are that African Americans begin smoking at older ages and smoke fewer cigarettes per day than Caucasian Americans do. Yet the severity of lung cancer is greater for African Americans. Behavioral, social, environmental, and genetic factors may explain the differences. Participants (subjects) ages 18 to 55 who are family of patients with lung cancer who self-identify as African Americans may be eligible for this study. Washington, D.C., researchers plan to recruit 115 lung cancer patients and 200 family members-100 current smokers and 100 who never smoked. Lung cancer patients, who must have been born in the United States, will be recruited from those who are receiving care at the Washington Cancer Institute at the Washington Hospital Center. They will be asked to list relatives and friends they consider to be as close as family. Patients will be asked permission for researchers to contact those people. Family members will receive a letter telling them that unless they decline to participate, they will be contacted by a telephone interviewer. The survey will feature questions to evaluate family members' explanations for the causes of lung cancer, as well as their reactions to possible reasons for the disparity in lung cancer between African Americans and Caucasian Americans. Subjects will be asked about perceived personal risk, worry about developing lung cancer, smoking history, motivation to quit smoking, feelings about the lung cancer patient's diagnosis, racial identify, experience with racial discrimination, pros and cons of genetic testing, and interest in genetic testing. The survey will take up to 20 minutes to complete. This study may or may not have a direct benefit for those who participate. However, lung cancer patients and their families will be offered a free self-help guide to stop smoking. They will be referred to local smoking cessation programs. Knowledge gained from the study may be used to design smoking cessation methods and research studies related to genetics for minority populations.

Detailed Description: The purpose of the African American (AA) Families and Lung Cancer Study is to learn more about (1) the beliefs of family members of AA patients with lung cancer about why AA get lung cancer and (2) whether these beliefs are associated with their interest in genetic testing for lung cancer risk and willingness to participate in clinical genetics research. We plan to recruit 200 AAs (n = 100 current smokers and n = 100 never smokers) who are considered to be as close as family (both biological and non-biological kin) to patients with lung cancer who self-identify as AA (n = 115). Patients will be recruited from Washington Cancer Institute at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. Family members who self-identify as AA and are between the ages 18 and 55 will be eligible for the study. A Washington Hospital Center recruiter will approach patients and ask their willingness to be contacted for a telephone survey about their general well-being. As part of the survey, patients will be asked to enumerate family and friends who they consider to be as close as family, and asked to specifically focus on those who are current cigarette smokers and those who have never smoked. Patients will be asked to give permission to contact some or all of those enumerated. These family members will be mailed a letter to inform them that unless they call to decline they will be contacted by a telephone interviewer. The survey will include questions to assess family members' explanations for the causes of lung cancer and reactions to possible explanations for disparities in lung cancer between AA and Caucasian Americans (CA), perceived personal risk and worry about developing lung cancer, smoking history, motivation to quit smoking, emotional responses to the patient's diagnosis, racial identity, experience with racial discrimination, pros and cons of genetic testing, and interest in genetic testing (the primary outcome variable). Data analysis using hierarchical linear modeling will assess whether patient characteristics and family members' endorsement of genetics as the cause of lung cancer are associated with their interest in genetic testing and participation in clinical genetics research.

Keywords

Eligibility

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Eligible Ages: ADULT, OLDER_ADULT

Sex: ALL

Healthy Volunteers: No

Locations

Contact Details

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