Wilmot Cancer Center Scientist Named to State Cancer Advisory Board

Pascal Jean-Pierre, Ph.D., M.P.H., a behavioral scientist at the University of Rochester Medical Center was appointed to the New York State Prostate and Testicular Cancer Detection and Education Advisory Council.

The council is a 13-member group dedicated to promoting cancer screening, early detection, and public awareness of these two common cancers, particularly among underserved populations.

Jean-Pierre is a research assistant professor of Radiation Oncology at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center. His research focuses on interventions to control cancer-related problems with attention, memory and function, and disparities in cancer care.  

The council advises the state Commissioner of Health about screening and education programs targeting underserved populations, as well as counseling programs and referral services for newly diagnosed patients.

Prostate cancer affects about a quarter million men each year in the United States. Early detection through annual screenings offers men the greatest chance for successful treatment and survival. Black men are at greater risk of a prostate diagnosis and twice as likely to die from the disease.

Testicular cancer is less common, impacting about 8,500 men each year, according to the American Cancer Society. It is one of the most curable forms of cancer. There are nearly 170,000 men who have survived testicular cancer in the country today.