The Koreatown Senior and Community Center is launching a research project on Korean Americans’ stomach cancer in collaboration with USC.
On October 11, the Senior Center announced at a press conference that it will conduct a joint research project with USC until June 2026 on the topic of “Smoking and Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Stomach Cancer Risk in the Korean American Community”.
“The study secured a total of $1.44 million in research funding from USC’s Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP), of which the Koreatown Senior and Community Center will receive $618,767 to participate in the study,” said Youngshin Shin, Chairperson of the Senior Center.
The study will be led by Eunjung Lee, USC’s Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine. The Koreatown Senior Center will participate in a survey of 200 people, including smokers and passive smokers.
In addition, the Senior Center will work with USC on a variety of research and related events, including H. pylori testing, website development, administrative support and guidance, and town hall meetings.
According to the Senior Center, only 0.02% of the U.S. medical community has data on Korean Americans and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). The other 99.98% is filled with data on Caucasians, Blacks, and Latinos. This study is a groundbreaking project to systematically collect data on smoking and stomach cancer in the Korean American community.
Lee compared the incidence of stomach cancer in the U.S. and pointed out that the incidence of stomach cancer among Korean Americans is 35 per 100,000, which is significantly higher than that of Caucasians (8), Hispanics (13), and blacks (14), indicating the significance of the study.
“Korean American physicians in the central and eastern regions of the U.S. have shown great interest in the program and are volunteering to participate,” said Lee. ”The project will initially run for two years, with the possibility of extending for three additional years and up to five years depending on the results.”
“This is an important opportunity to identify the causes of stomach cancer among Korean Americans and prevent the spread of stomach cancer through early detection,” said Shin. “We need active participation of the Korean American community.”
“We are pleased to be working with USC on this project and look forward to organizing various research projects and events with USC to accumulate more data on Korean Americans in the medical field,” said Shin.
Lee has been a professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Science at USC since 2012.
BY SUAH JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
