Texas Tech Health El Paso Receives $2.5 Million CPRIT Grant to Expand Life-Saving Cancer Prevention Program

Photos: https://ttuhscep.box.com/s/gzj7cre3ghac654mykjpv4swkcnv8mqw

Newswise — El Paso, Texas — Preventing cancer is just as valuable as curing it.

Texas Tech Health El Paso has received a $2.5 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to expand the Tiempo De Vacunarte (Time to Get Vaccinated!) program.

The program aims to increase human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations among 9- to 45-year-olds residing in underserved areas of far West Texas, including El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Presidio, and Brewster counties.

HPV-related cancers disproportionately affect Hispanics, particularly those residing along the U.S.-Mexico border. Statistics reveal that cervical cancer incidence rates are notably higher in Texas-Mexico border counties: 12.3 per 100,000 people, compared to non-border counties, at 9.5 per 100,000.

"This grant will expand and enhance our program with innovative components," said Jennifer Molokwu, M.D., M.P.H., director of Cancer Prevention and Control at Texas Tech Health El Paso. "We’re committed to increasing HPV vaccine uptake in our target communities, particularly among adolescents and underserved populations."

The grant will allow the program to expand its health education and health care navigation services. Dr. Molokwu expects the program to serve 83,000 individuals and provide 3,640 vaccines throughout the five-year duration of the grant. To date, nearly 2,000 uninsured or underinsured individuals ages 9 to 45 have completed an HPV vaccine series thanks to Tiempo De Vacnarte.

“Tiempo de Vacunarte, funded by CPRIT since 2014, has delivered and will continue to deliver on its promise to bring HPV vaccination to adolescents and adults living in these regions who may otherwise not have knowledge of or access to this highly effective cancer prevention vaccine,” said Ramona Magid, CPRIT’s Chief Prevention Officer. “This program successfully partners with community members and collaborative partners to take care of their own.”

HPV infections are spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact and can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina and vulva, penis, anus, and back of the throat. HPV causes about 36,000 cases of cancer in both men and women annually in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Cervical cancer was once the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the U.S. Revolutionizing cancer prevention, the HPV vaccine has emerged as a powerful shield, boasting the potential to prevent over 90% of cancers caused by HPV. This medical breakthrough promises a brighter, healthier future for millions, a result of widespread vaccination.

The grant builds on previous CPRIT funding received in 2014 and 2019, and will assist in its efforts to engage our Borderplex region encompassing approximately one million individuals, many of whom reside in medically underserved areas.

Expanding Outreach to Encourage Life-Saving Vaccinations

Tiempo de Vacunarte delivers culturally tailored, bilingual HPV cancer prevention services to fulfill its mission to reduce the burden of HPV-associated cancers in our region.

Dr. Molokwu said the new CPRIT funding will enable Tiempo de Vacunarte to offer evidence-based, school-based vaccine initiatives in collaboration with local school districts and service providers, ensuring accessible vaccinations in trusted environments.

Additionally, the program will train and empower community vaccine champions to advocate for increased HPV vaccine uptake. These champions will leverage their influence to promote the benefits of vaccination within their communities.

To extend the Tiempo de Vacunarte’s reach, collaborative partnerships with private pharmacy providers will be established, particularly in rural areas. This will give individuals in less accessible regions convenient access to vaccines. The program also plans to expand its outreach via social media and other media platforms to engage a wider audience.

“Cancer prevention saves lives,” said Michelle Le Beau, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer. “The Tiempo De Vacunarte program has already reduced the burden of HPV-related cancers, which disproportionately affects Hispanics in the Borderplex region. CPRIT is pleased to support the Tiempo De Vacunarte program, and its mission to reduce the burden of HPV-associated cancers in the Borderplex region.”

Texas Tech Health El Paso: Dedicated to Cancer Prevention

For more than a decade, Texas Tech Health El Paso has shown a commitment to cancer prevention through initiatives like Tiempo de Vacunarte. Last year, CPRIT awarded $2,499,437 to our De Casa en Casa program for cervical cancer screening in West and South Texas.

The Southwest Coalition for Colorectal Cancer Screening (SuCCCeS) addresses high colorectal cancer rates in El Paso County with CPRIT funding since 2011.The Breast Cancer Education, Screening, and Navigation Program (BEST), supported by CPRIT since 2013, serves 105 counties in West Texas, focusing on education, screening, and navigation.

To learn more about the programs, visit ttuhscep.edu/som/family/CPP.

About the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas

CPRIT is a $6 billion, 20-year initiative – the largest state cancer research investment in the history of the United States and the second-largest cancer research and prevention program in the world. They accept applications and award grants for a wide variety of innovative cancer-related research and product development and for the delivery of evidence-based cancer prevention programs and services by public and private entities located in Texas.

To date, the agency has awarded more than $3.6 billion in grants to Texas research institutions and organizations through its academic research, prevention, and product development research programs. CPRIT has also recruited 313 distinguished researchers to Texas, supported the establishment, expansion, or relocation of 67 companies to Texas, and provided 9.7 million prevention services reaching all 254 counties in Texas. To learn more about CPRIT, visit http://www.cprit.texas.gov.

About Texas Tech Health El Paso

Texas Tech Health El Paso is the only health sciences center on the U.S.-Mexico border and serves 108 counties in West Texas that have been historically underserved. It’s a designated Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, preparing the next generation of health care heroes, 48% of whom identify as Hispanic and are often first-generation students.

Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a proudly diverse and uniquely innovative destination for education and research.

With a mission of eliminating health care barriers and creating life-changing educational opportunities for Borderplex residents, Texas Tech Health El Paso has graduated over 2,400 doctors, nurses and researchers over the past decade, and will add dentists to its alumni beginning in 2025. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.