Center for Global Oncology

The Center for Global Oncology is a joint center between the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and the Institute for Global Health.

Cancer kills more people in low- and middle-income countries than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. Worldwide, over 80 percent of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, but only 5 percent of total global spending on cancer care is expended in these regions. Global oncology research is gaining significant importance at the national level as demonstrated by the establishment of the Center for Global Health at the NCI in 2011. Current national programs include those focused on Cancer Research and Networks, Cancer Control Planning and Capacity Building.

In this era of precision medicine, cutting-edge technologies in molecular and biological science have advanced our understanding of cancer etiology and development. The diverse genetic backgrounds, environmental exposures, socio-cultural practices and lifestyles represented by populations around the globe require us to collect scientific data from larger and more diverse groups of people to answer more specific questions about what causes cancer and how. In partnership with the NCI-designated Lurie Cancer Center, we can develop more targeted tools to fulfill our shared mission of controlling cancer.

By collaborating with scientists around the world, we aim to detect cancers at their early stages, thus preventing and curing cancer not only in economically developed areas, but also in low- and middle-income countries. This is particularly important in vulnerable populations, such as those with chronic viral infections and those who are genetically susceptible to carcinogenic pollutants. ”

Lifang Hou, MD, PhD, Director, Center for Global Oncology, Director of Global Health at the Lurie Cancer Center

Center Projects

Biomarkers of HIV-Associated Cancers - Nigeria

“Epigenomic Biomarkers of HIV-Associated Cancers in Nigeria - NCI Northwestern U54 Consortium”

Faculty: Northwestern co-PIs Robert Murphy, MD, and Lifang Hou, MD, PhD

Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University was awarded this U54 grant from the NCI to establish a consortium, working in partnership with the University of Jos, University of Lagos and the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. The joint U.S. and Nigerian consortium studies epigenetic signatures of the two most common HIV-associated cancers in Nigeria (liver and cervical cancer). The goal of this project is to improve our understanding of the role of HIV and other infections in cancer development. This will offer earlier diagnosis of premalignant and early-stage cancers and potentially lead to effective new strategies for cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Our consortium also provides training for Nigerian scientists in molecular epidemiology. This study is sponsored by National Cancer Institute.

Read the News Story on Cancer Center site

Northwestern & Nigeria Research Training Program in HIV & Malignancies

“Northwestern/Nigerian Research Training Program in HIV and Malignancies (NN-HAM) - NCI-FIC D43”

Faculty: Northwestern co-PIs Robert Murphy, MD, and Lifang Hou, MD, PhD

This project addresses a high priority NIH research area and significant problem in sub-Saharan Africa because of the widespread HIV epidemic made worse by the high burden of oncogenic viral co-infections. Through this project, investigators are building a multidisciplinary research training program at Jos University Teaching Hospital and Lagos University Teaching Hospital — some of the largest providers of HIV care in Africa — to build infrastructure and increase capacity for cancer epidemiology, biostatistics, biomedical informatics and translational and laboratory research on AIDS-defining malignancies here. This program is sponsored by National Cancer Institute and Fogarty International Center.

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Research Training Program in HIV & Malignancies - Nigeria

“Northwestern and Jos University Research Training Program in HIV and Malignancies - NCI-FIC D43”

Faculty: Northwestern co-PIs Robert Murphy, MD, and Lifang Hou, MD, PhD

Through this project, investigators are building a multidisciplinary research training program at the University of Jos and Jos University Teaching Hospital — one of the largest providers of HIV care in Africa — to build infrastructure and increase capacity for cancer epidemiology, clinical trials and translational and laboratory research on AIDS-defining malignancies here. Our goal is to significantly reduce cancer incidence and its related morbidity and mortality. This program is sponsored by National Cancer Institute and Fogarty International Center.

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Epigenetics of Early-Onset Breast Cancer

“Epigenetics of Early-Onset Breast Cancer"

Faculty: Site PI Lifang Hou, MD, PhD

Studies show a significantly higher frequency of aggressive, early-onset breast cancer in many countries. We have ongoing pilot studies in collaborations with scientists around the world to explore the underlying epigenetic factors (DNA methylation and microRNAs) that may play an important role in the early onset of breast cancer in Lebanon and several African countries. We hope to ultimately provide novel insights into the etiology of breast cancer, particularly aggressive breast cancers, to develop point-of-care technology for the early detection of breast cancer in global health settings.

See Hou's Faculty Profile

The Microbiome & Cancer

"The Microbiome and Cancer"

The microbiome, an important modulator of inflammation and immunity, can significantly impact cancer risk as well as the efficacy of cancer therapy. Our center members are investigating the role of microbiota (i.e., cervicovaginal microbiome for cervical cancer and gut and oral microbiome for colon and liver cancers, respectively) in various populations including Asians, Africans and Middle Easterners. This work will also evaluate the influence of dietary patterns (Mediterranean vs. Western diet).

Infection-Associated Cancer Research Training Program in Mali

“Infection-Associated Cancer Research Training Program in Mali - NCI – D43”

Faculty: Northwestern co-PIs Lifang Hou, MD, PhD, and Mamoudou Maiga, MD, PhD.

This research training program will capitalize on a decade of collaboration between Malian and US investigators to create capacity to develop and implement new contextually appropriate and culturally adaptive strategies to reduce in incidence, morbidity, and mortality of IAC in Mali and other LMICs in the region.

Epigenetic study of oral HPV infection-associated oral cancer in people living with HIV in Nigeria

“Epigenetic study of oral HPV infection-associated oral cancer in people living with HIV in Nigeria”

Faculty: Northwestern co-PIs Lifang Hou, MD, PhD, and Robert Murphy, MD.

This project also emerges from the increased life-spans of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), but who because of chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction, are at risk of transmission and reactivation of oncogenic HPV co-infection, which, synergistically, increases their risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancer (OOPC). The goals of the study are to understand the epidemiology of HPV-associ-ated OOPCs; identify DNA methylation (DNAm) biomarkers of HPV- associated OOPCs; and exam-ine DNAm biomarkers for OOPC progression to help develop potential non-invasive screening and early detection biomarkers of OOPC.

West Africa Self-Sampling HPV Based Cervical Cancer Control Program (WA-SS-HCCP) for WLWHA: Barriers, challenges, and needs

“West Africa Self-Sampling HPV Based Cervical Cancer Control Program (WA-SS-HCCP) for WLWHA: Barriers, challenges, and needs”

Faculty: Northwestern co-PIs Lifang Hou, MD, PhD, and Mamoudou Maiga, MD, PhD.

While HPV vaccination is demonstrably the most effective primary prevention strategy for cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening (e.g., Pap smear) is an effective secondary strategy, this pro-ject recognizes that overcoming the multiple challenges to both vaccination and population-level screening programs are still likely to take considerable time and require substantial research. In the meantime, this project seeks to implement the combination of two existing evidence-based ap-proaches, obtaining vaginal self-samples and detecting high risk Human Papillomavirus (hr-HPV) types in vaginal samples as an indicator of risk for cervical cancer, as a targeted, cost-, and resource-appropriate screening strategy among women living with HIV/AIDs (WLHA), who highest risk group of women for cervical cancer. In a patient-centered paradigm shift of care, we will leverage community health workers so that women have the option to obtain their vaginal sample at home, directly receive their result, and, for those who have a positive result, receive assistance and financial support for re-ferral to a specialty clinic for further evaluation. Implementation of this novel delivery of care model in both Mali and Nigeria, will however require extensive needs assessment, contextual-adaptation, and system re-design to assure high levels of adoption and reach, while assuring fidelity and effective-ness in detecting WLHA women at high risk for cervical cancer.

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