Community Focus

The Stanford Cancer Institute (SCI) recognizes that disease pattern, clinical presentation, and therapeutic response can vary dramatically based on several factors, including race/ethnicity, ancestral background, gender and socioeconomic status. Our researchers are engaged in addressing these challenging issues to ensure that treatments, interventions, and prevention strategies will be relevant to all populations.

The SCI’s Office of Cancer Health Equity was formed to organize and expand efforts to promote health equity, with a focus on four pillars: understanding the needs and priorities of our diverse catchment area, developing and sustaining bidirectional partnerships, increasing representation of minorities in clinical trials, and translating research into practices and policies.  Through a wide range of approaches to community-engaged research, community outreach, education, access to clinical care and policy & advocacy we will help to reduce cancer health disparities within our catchment area and beyond.

We also provide technical assistance and services for Stanford Cancer Institute members who wish to include community engagement in their research.  Our goal is to enhance the capabilities of our SCI investigators to conduct community based participatory research. Please complete and submit this form to initiate request for assistance related to your community-engaged research, service, or education project.

1. Understand the catchment area, 2. Develop Partnerships, 3. Foster research. including inclusion in clinical trials, 4. Translate Research into Practice and Policy Change

Our Mission

Our mission is to reduce the overall cancer burden and cancer disparities in our catchment area and beyond through research, education, and community outreach and engagement.

1. Understand the catchment area, 2. Develop Partnerships, 3. Foster research. including inclusion in clinical trials, 4. Translate Research into Practice and Policy Change

Areas We Serve

The Stanford Cancer Institute is one of a small number of National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the country. NCI-designated centers occupy an important role in their communities, including performing research and educational activities relevant to the unique populations they serve.  The “catchment area” is a term used by the NCI to mean the geographic area in which a Cancer Center focuses its research, education and patient care efforts.

Our catchment area includes a population of 7.8 million people in 10 counties across four distinct regions: Peninsula/South Bay (Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz), East Bay (Alameda, Contra Costa), Salinas Valley, (Monterey, San Benito), and San Joaquin Valley (San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced).  Through a Community Health Needs Assessment, the SCI regularly gathers quantitative and qualitative information about the impact of cancer in our communities. This information is utilized to examine the factors related to cancer and identify issues for action that will help reduce the burden of cancer.

Fostering Research in Response to Community Needs

Fostering Research in Response to Community Needs

The SCI Office of Cancer Health Equity supports a range of community engaged research and other projects designed to improve the health of local communities. Our goal is to integrate community engagement across the cancer control continuum and advance the science of community engaged research.

Learn about our community partnerships

Community Partnership & Education

An important mission of the Stanford Cancer Institute (SCI) is to disseminate cancer information and education to Greater Bay Area communities, with a particular emphasis on reaching minority and medically underserved populations.

Community Events

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Future of Cancer Care Talk Series

Hosted by the Stanford Cancer Institute and partners, recorded presentations from community talks are available through the Stanford Health Library