NCI Director Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach will deliver the keynote address and meet with members of the Asian American media during the 5th Asian American Cancer Control Academy to be held in Sacramento this week, October 22-23. On Thursday, October 21, before the conference opens, Dr. von Eschenbach will also be interviewed by the Sacramento Bee on American cancer control efforts and disparities initiatives in the context of the 2015 challenge goal.

The 2-day conference is a meeting of the Asian American Network for Cancer Awareness, Research and Training (AANCART). This conference brings together cancer control authorities from throughout the country to discuss Asian American cancer incidence and mortality trends, smoking rates, and diet and exercise patterns, with an emphasis on the Hmong community.

In the Asian American community, cancer is the leading cause of death for women, unlike all other racial and ethnic groups, in which cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death. For example, cervical cancer rates are five times higher for Vietnamese American women than for white women.

AANCART is a cooperative agreement between NCI and the University of California, Davis, and is the first national cancer awareness research and training entity for addressing the cancer concerns of Asian Americans. It is also a component of NCI's Special Populations Network.