Community invited to learn about betel nut research at UOG

Members of the community are invited to learn about the latest research at the University of Guam on areca (betel) nut and its links to cancer at an upcoming community seminar. Members of the University of Guam/University of Hawaii Cancer Center Partnership to Advance Cancer Health Equity will be presenting on various research investigations from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. this Thursday, Nov. 29, in Room 131 of UOG’s School of Business & Public Administration building.

The seminar will include the following presentations followed by a question-and-answer session:

• The Betel Nut Intervention Trial
• Identification and Application of Improved Biomarkers Reflecting Betel Consumption The Effect of Saliva, Betel Leaf, and Lime on the Extraction of Areca Nut Bioactive Components The Influence of Areca Nut Chewing on the Oral Microbiome

Approximately 600 million people, or 10% of the world’s population, chew betel nut. It is a behavior commonly practiced in many Asian and Pacific regions. Although there are some documented benefits associated with the consumption of betel nut, chewing poses a greater risk to multiple disease outcomes — oral cancer being a major concern, according to UOG’s Cancer Research Center.