STONY BROOK, N.Y., October 20, 2006 – “Conversations about Cancer: A Dialogue in the African American Community,” led by Martin S. Karpeh, Jr., M.D., a nationally recognized cancer surgeon and Director of the Stony Brook University Cancer Center, confronts the issue of African Americans being disproportionately affected by cancer and informs the community on how to be vigilant about cancer prevention, screening, and receiving the best care. The public discussion features cancer and healthcare experts from Stony Brook University Medical Center and other area healthcare organizations. Sponsored by CancerCare of the Hamptons, the conference will take place on Saturday, November 4, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Bridgehampton Unified School in Bridgehampton.
According to Dr. Karpeh, the conference format is informal and conversational in order to create community input with plenty of time to pose questions about cancer to the experts. Dr. Karpeh will moderate a panel discussion on cancer care in eastern Long Island using specific scenarios of cancer cases – breast, prostate, pancreatic, and colorectal – to raise awareness about prevention, detection and the treatment of these diseases. The panel will consist of oncologists, radiation oncologists, primary care physicians, social workers and local government officials. All panelists will discuss their role in the care for patients in each scenario.
The Office of Minority Health at the Suffolk County Department of Health Services underscores the need for educating minority communities about all types of cancers. The Office indicates that African Americans in Suffolk have a lower incidence of certain forms of cancer than White Americans in the county, specifically for breast, colorectal and lung cancers. However, African Americans are more likely to die from these diseases than Whites.
“Thousands of African Americans are dying each year from preventable and treatable forms of cancer, such as prostate and breast cancer,” says Dr. Karpeh. “The first step in prevention is to inform and educate communities about what is available to provide early detection and how to get access to care.”
Other speakers will discuss topics such as nutrition and cancer, lifestyles for cancer prevention and the psychosocial aspects of cancer.
The Stony Brook University Cancer Center provides diagnosis, treatment, and other physical and psychosocial support for patients with all forms of cancer. The Cancer Center incorporates multidisciplinary care of patients through disease-specific management teams and carries out interdisciplinary research in the search for more effective therapies.
CancerCare of the Hamptons, part of a national organization dedicated to helping people face the challenges of cancer, serves East End communities, including Riverhead and the North Fork. To register for the conference, contact Dora Ziongas at (516) 740-8629, or tziongas@cancercare.org.
