How Leading Cancer Centers Are Reshaping Prevention Through Community Partnership

Cancer prevention is shifting from isolated hospital efforts to coordinated statewide partnerships that bring together researchers, clinicians, and community organizations. The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, part of McLaren Health Care, exemplifies this transformation by working within the Michigan Cancer Consortium (MCC), a broad-based partnership designed to reduce cancer burden across the state through research-backed prevention and control strategies.

What Are the Core Goals of Modern Cancer Prevention Networks?

Statewide cancer consortiums like the MCC focus on four interconnected priorities that address cancer from prevention through survivorship. These goals guide how leading cancer centers allocate resources and design clinical programs.

• Cancer Prevention: Stopping cancer from occurring in the first place through education, lifestyle interventions, and vaccination programs like HPV immunization.
• Early Detection Through Screening: Promoting evidence-based screening tests that have been proven to reduce mortality, including mammograms, colonoscopies, and cervical cancer screening.
• Effective Diagnosis and Treatment: Ensuring all patients receive the most appropriate and effective treatment methods, including access to clinical trials and immunotherapy options.
• Quality of Life Optimization: Supporting every person affected by cancer through survivorship care, mental health services, and long-term follow-up.

These priorities reflect a shift in oncology from treating cancer as an isolated disease to addressing it as a public health challenge requiring coordinated action across entire health systems.

How Are Cancer Centers Improving Patient Communication About Clinical Trials?

One major barrier to cancer treatment advancement is patient confusion about clinical trial options. Karmanos and McLaren recently launched their first joint oncology and non-oncology research study called Ask Questions About Clinical Trials (ASQ CT), marking a significant milestone in improving how patients understand and access experimental treatments. This collaboration reflects a broader recognition that clinical trials are not just research tools—they are pathways to cutting-edge therapies that may not yet be available through standard care.

Led by Dr. Lauren Hamel, Ph.D., MBA, co-leader of the research initiative, the ASQ CT project demonstrates how health systems are integrating research efforts across multiple sites to strengthen patient-centered communication. By making clinical trial information more accessible and understandable, cancer centers are helping patients make informed decisions about their treatment options.

What Recent Breakthroughs Are Emerging From Collaborative Cancer Research?

Collaborative research networks are accelerating discoveries in multiple cancer types. Researchers at Karmanos are contributing to breakthroughs in pancreatic cancer treatment, with scientists in Spain identifying promising drug therapy combinations in pre-clinical studies. Dr. Asfar Azmi, Ph.D., scientist and director of the Pancreatic Cancer Research Initiative at Karmanos, is studying how these combination therapies might translate into patient benefits.

Beyond pancreatic cancer, prevention-focused research is reshaping how we approach common cancers. Cervical cancer, for example, is increasingly recognized as preventable through screening and vaccination. "Cervical cancer could eventually be eradicated," explains Dr. Radhika Gogoi, M.D., Ph.D., gynecologic oncologist at Karmanos, highlighting how human papillomavirus (HPV) screening and the HPV vaccine are transforming outcomes. Dr. Gogoi's research on patient knowledge of HPV and vaccination demonstrates that education gaps remain—many patients don't fully understand the connection between HPV and multiple cancer types, including cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers.

The recognition of these opportunities has elevated cancer centers nationally. Karmanos Cancer Hospital was named one of America's Best Hospitals for Cancer Care in 2026 by the Women's Choice Award, placing it in the top 2 percent of over 4,600 U.S. hospitals offering cancer care services—marking the 13th consecutive year of this recognition.

Why Does Statewide Coordination Matter for Cancer Outcomes?

Statewide cancer consortiums create infrastructure that individual hospitals cannot achieve alone. The Michigan Cancer Consortium brings together public and private organizations to share research findings, coordinate prevention campaigns, and ensure equitable access to screening and treatment across different communities. This coordination is especially important for early detection programs, where disparities in access to mammograms, colonoscopies, and other screening tools can significantly impact survival rates.

Leading researchers are being selected to guide these statewide efforts. Karmanos faculty members, including Dr. Theresa Hastert, Ph.D., associate professor, and Dr. Hayley Thompson, Ph.D., associate center director of Community Outreach and Education, were selected as at-large board members of the Michigan Cancer Consortium for 2026-2027. Their involvement in population studies and community engagement ensures that prevention strategies reach beyond hospital walls into neighborhoods and underserved populations.

The shift toward collaborative, community-engaged cancer prevention represents a fundamental change in how leading medical institutions approach oncology. Rather than viewing cancer as a disease to be treated in isolation, modern cancer centers recognize that prevention, early detection, and equitable access to treatment require coordinated efforts across entire health systems and communities. As research continues to identify new screening methods, immunotherapy options, and prevention strategies, these partnerships ensure that discoveries translate into real improvements in patient outcomes.