Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training (AANCART)
The Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training (AANCART) is a cooperative agreement between the National Cancer Institute and University of California at Davis. The principal investigator for AANCART is Dr. Moon Chen. AANCART is the first NCI-funded Special Populations Network targeting Asian Americans on a national basis. The Center for Research on Minority Health at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center was a member of the network from July, 2002, to March, 2005. As its name implies, AANCART seeks to increase awareness of cancer in the Asian community, promote research on cancer among Asians and train more Asians in cancer research and outreach. Even though the CRMH is no longer an official AANCART site, members of the CRMH are still actively involved in several Asian cancer control and health initiatives in the Houston community, including tobacco prevention and cessation projects, the Asian Cancer Council with the Houston Affiliate of the American Cancer Society, an Asian breast cancer screening and education program and the development of a federally qualified health center to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate primary health care services to medically underserved Asians and others in southwest Houston. Research activities for Asians continue at the CRMH as researchers strive to understand cancer and health risks for Asian Americans through the AsANA study.