Evangelista, a sophomore chemistry-biology dual major, and Paras, a sophomore civil engineering major, are research education trainees at the UOG/University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity (PIPCHE).

Evangelista presented her research on “Adherence to Mammography Screening Guidelines by Family History of Breast Cancer in Guam” and Paras presented his research on “Ethnic Variations in Breast Cancer Risk Factors Distribution in Guam.” Their peer-reviewed abstracts were published at the conference.

Dr. Rachael Leon Guerrero, PIPCHE co-principal investigator, called their participation "a significant achievement for UOG and a testament to the university's commitment to impactful cancer research."

The research is part of the Hawai'i and Pacific Island Mammography Registry (HIPIMR), a collaboration between the University of Hawai'i Cancer Center, UOG Cancer Research Center, and breast imaging facilities in both regions. In Guam, FHP Health Center is the sole participating facility.

HIPIMR aims to improve early cancer detection for diverse ethnic groups in Hawai'i and Guam. Project leaders Dr. Grazyna Badowski (UOG) and Dr. John Shepherd (UHCC) stated, "Our long-term goal is to develop accurate and validated breast cancer risk biomarkers that can contribute to reducing advanced breast cancer cases, ultimately lowering breast cancer mortality."

Evangelista and Paras expressed gratitude for the support they received from project partners and to the women who participated in the study.

About PIPCHE

The Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity (PIPCHE) is the only NCI-funded, Pacific-based partnership that addresses cancer disparities in the people of Hawai’i, Guam, and other U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands, which include Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau. It also provides research training for students and early career scientists while engaging communities in outreach activities to advance knowledge, awareness, behavior change, and public health policy in Guam and Hawai’i. 

Its overarching goal is to promote cancer health equity and mitigate the impact of cancer on Pacific Island Populations through increasing cancer research leadership and capacity in Hawai’i, Guam and the USAPI.