Key NCI Resources for Lung Cancer and Tobacco Control Lung Cancer information: http://www.cancer.gov/ cancertopics/types/lung Tobacco Control Research: http://dccps.nci.nih.gov/ tcrb/resources.html Tobacco Cessation information: http://www.smokefree.gov/ National Network of Tobacco Cessation Quitlines: 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669)

The Mansfield Fellowship is awarded annually to up to 10 U.S. government employees, who spend a year working full time in a Japanese government office, after a year of intensive Japanese language and area studies. Since the Fellowship was established, 70 Fellows from 20 different agencies and departments have gone through the program.

Dr. Lawrence is the first Mansfield Fellow to come from NIH. She will focus on Japan's procedures in health policy - especially cancer control policies - and hopes to explore Japan's efforts to reduce tobacco use and address other lifestyle factors associated with cancer.

DCLG to Meet in September
The next meeting of the NCI Director's Consumer Liaison Group (DCLG) will be held from September 14 to 15 in Bethesda, Md. The agenda includes presentations related to NCI's strategic planning, the Consumer Advocates in Research and Related Activities program, and the NIH Knowledge Management initiative. The DCLG working group planning the 2006 "Listening and Learning Together: Building a Bridge of Trust" Summit will also present an update. The meeting will include time for members to meet with NCI leadership, and to discuss future plans and next steps for the group.

AHRQ Report Reviews Disparities in Clinical Trials Recruitment
Commissioned and supported by NCI, an AHRQ Evidence-Based Practice Center report released in June explores the barriers to and promoters of participation by underrepresented populations in cancer clinical trials. The review identified consistent patterns that should inform future research.

Two major themes of the report are study design and community involvement. Most of the studies reviewed presented "evidence by convenience," arbitrary measures, and inconsistently reported results that are disconnected from the larger cancer health disparities research field. Few of the studies were designed to address barriers or general problems relevant to patients in underserved communities.

The report recommends that research concerning recruitment be developed within the framework of community-based participatory research with expanded community involvement and that time be taken to develop community relationships. Finally, the report noted that the most limited information is on African-American males, Asian American/Pacific Islanders, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Latinos/Hispanics. The report is online at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/recruitsum.htm.

NCI Cancer Bulletin Publication Break
The NCI Cancer Bulletin will not be published on August 23 or 30. We will resume publication on our usual schedule with the September 6 issue.