Susan Morrow kept too busy to be bored, whether she was teaching deaf children to speak, starting new business ventures or confronting cancer.

Ovarian cancer crept into her life the way it most often does — unsuspected and without warning. The first symptom occurred in 2020 when she noticed herself gasping for breath during a trip to the North Carolina mountains and thought she might have COVID-19.

After receiving the cancer diagnosis, she met the challenges with heroic stamina and analytical reasoning. She sought emerging treatment options, volunteered to raise awareness about the disease, and chronicled her journey with meticulous emails.

Two years after her death, her story continues. The Susan Morrow Legacy Foundation has made a generous donation to support ovarian cancer research at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

“She was an incredibly driven, incredibly interesting person and the light of my life,” said her husband, Ron Morrow, who has filled the seat on the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Board of Advisors that she once held.

Vanderbilt-Ingram was where she received her initial treatment and surgery. The gift in her honor will support studies that are evaluating new microbubble imaging strategies and other molecular studies being developed by Todd Giorgio, PhD, professor of Biomedical Engineering and of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, to detect the earliest cancer or precancer lesions within the fallopian tubes.

Morrow’s tenacity and energy left an impression with Ronald Alvarez, MD, MBA, chair and clinical service chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This support will continue her legacy and help other women facing this disease.

“Past attempts to develop effective ovarian cancer screening strategies have been unsuccessful. The research we have asked the Morrow Foundation to support will hopefully provide preliminary evidence in preclinical models that this novel imaging strategy may be an effective ovarian cancer screening approach,” said Alvarez, the Betty and Lonnie S. Burnett Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, director of Vanderbilt-Ingram, said Susan Morrow was an engaged and energetic member of the Board of Advisors.

“Beyond this generous gift, Ron and Susan Morrow have both been valuable to our mission by volunteering to serve on our board,” said Park, the Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and professor of Medicine. “We appreciate the leadership that Susan provided and the continuing commitment from Ron to advance cancer care and research.”

The daughter of a U.S. Army colonel, Susan Morrow spent her early years wherever her father was stationed, but she grew up in El Paso, Texas, following his retirement. After graduating from the University of Texas and then receiving a Master of Education from Harvard University, she taught speech to children with profound deafness, worked in the investment business and then transitioned into an entrepreneurial career, establishing an executive search firm as well as direct sales company for women’s clothing. When she moved to Park City, Utah, she met Ron Morrow, and the couple married in 2006.

He changed the name of the family’s charitable foundation to honor her following her death on Sept. 28, 2022.

“Medical issues became extremely important, and we made ovarian cancer a focus because often a woman doesn’t know she has it until it’s Stage 3 or maybe Stage 4,” Morrow said. “That was certainly the case with Susan. She had no cancer in her family at all, ever.”

Awareness about ovarian cancer and improving early detection is a focus for the foundation, which will host the Susan Morrow Drive to Survive Golf Tournament at the Old Tabby Links course in Spring Island, South Carolina, on Oct. 6.

Morrow said she left him a gift of peace that he and his family would like to keep giving.

“When we were married, I didn’t think she was an extremely religious person,” he said. “She obviously believed in God, but we didn’t go to church every week. It was something that was in our life, but it didn’t encompass us. As she was dying, she had read a book called ‘Proof of Life.’ And as she was dying, I was holding her, and she looked off into the distance and looked up, then looked over to me and said, ‘It’ll be OK.”

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Stand Up to Cancer, a one-hour, commercial-free special promoting the life-saving advances of cancer research, and to raise funds for new treatments and cures, was broadcast Friday Aug. 15 on more than 30 participating media platforms, including national TV networks ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX.

Viewers saw performances by host Sheryl Crow, as well as the Jonas Brothers, Noah Cyrus, Gavin DeGraw, Marcus King, Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi, Jelly Roll, Dan + Shay and CeCe Winans (joined by Nashville Community Gospel Choir).

During the telecast, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) was highlighted and mentioned several times. During a segment on the role of artificial intelligence in cancer diagnosis and treatment, Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, director of VICC, and Tae Hyun Hwang, PhD, professor of Surgery, both were among those featured. In addition, Brothers Osborne asked everyone from VICC who was in attendance to stand up for a round of applause, and, in a taped segment, Keith Urban mentioned VICC and Vanderbilt Health.

The full telecast is now available for viewing on YouTube at this link:

The one-hour broadcast special was taped at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville on Aug. 9. Before taping the show, a pre-taping party was attended by approximately 1,000 VUMC and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center physicians, nurses and staff and their guests. Pictures from that event are here.

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Kaille Meguiar, DO, MPH, an oncologist in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, has been awarded a $100,000 Hyundai Hope on Wheels Impact Award to research the psychosocial and neurocognitive outcomes of survivors of pediatric, adolescent and young adult cancers.

Hyundai Hope on Wheels, which includes funding from Hyundai Motor America and local dealerships, has awarded more than $2 million in funding to pediatric cancer researchers at Monroe Carell since 2007.

Every year, more than 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to advancements in treatments, approximately 85% of these children now survive five years or longer. However, there is an increasing need to address the long-term challenges survivors face beyond physical health, including higher rates of anxiety and depression; impaired task efficiency and memory; and long-term problems with attention and executive functions.

With the latest grant award to Monroe Carell, Meguiar’s work will focus on understanding how cancer and its treatment impact survivors’ mental and cognitive well-being, as well as how to better support them and their caregivers.

After completing her DO degree and internal medicine and pediatric residencies at Corewell Health/Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Meguiar joined Monroe Carell as a Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellow. During her fellowship, she developed a research project to identify the risk factors for negative psychosocial outcomes in childhood cancer survivors. Her work earned a National Institutes of Health training grant. With the support of the Hyundai Impact Award, she will expand her research by creating a cohort to study neurocognitive outcomes and develop interventions to improve survivors’ quality of life.

“I am honored to receive this award, which will allow me to continue my work focused on improving the lives of childhood cancer survivors and their families,” said Meguiar, who joined the Vanderbilt faculty in July 2025. “I look forward to advancing our understanding of these challenges and finding ways to make a meaningful difference. Thank you to Hyundai and the local dealerships for supporting this important work to enhance the comprehensive long-term care for childhood cancer survivors.”

Representatives from Hyundai and local dealerships presented a check and an honorary lab coat to Meguiar during a special celebration at Monroe Carell. The event also included patient Greta Ford, 4, and her dad, Adam, and mom, Rachel Modhal, who shared their daughter’s cancer journey with leukemia and described Meguiar as their “rock” through it all.

The event was followed by a “handprint” ceremony where cancer patients dipped their hands in paint and put their handprints on a white Hyundai Palisade, with each handprint representing their personal stories of hope and courage.

“This is about the families who inspire us every day — and the scientific pioneers, like those here today, who are leading innovative and lifesaving research,” said Scott Harrison, senior sales manager for Hyundai Motor America Southern region. “Their breakthroughs are pushing the boundaries of medicine and providing kids with treatments that were unthinkable five or 10 years ago. Because of this, more children are surviving this disease. More kids can play sports, make friends, graduate from high school, build a life for themselves and find their place in the world. More kids have a second chance at life. This is the beating heart of everything we do.”

In celebration of Hope on Wheels’ 27th anniversary, Hyundai will award $27 million in grants to institutions across the country, including Monroe Carell. HHOW has donated more than $277 million in grants since its inception in 1998.

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Stand Up to Cancer, a one-hour, commercial-free special promoting the life-saving advances of cancer research, and to raise funds for new treatments and cures, will air simultaneously on Friday night, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m., CDT on over 30 participating media platforms, including national TV networks ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX.

The one-hour broadcast special was taped at The Pinnacle in downtown Nashville on Aug. 9. Before taping the broadcast, a pre-taping party was attended by approximately 1,000 VUMC and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center physicians, nurses and staff and their guests.

All four major U.S. broadcast networks will carry the show, with broadcasters donating prime time slots to support the cause. The telecast will also be available to watch on-demand across multiple digital and streaming platforms, ensuring broad and flexible access to this one-night-only event.

Those who made their way inside for the taping saw performances by the Jonas Brothers, Noah Cyrus, Gavin DeGraw, Marcus King, Brothers Osborne, Jon Pardi, Jelly Roll, Dan + Shay and CeCe Winans (joined by Nashville Community Gospel Choir), as well as the host for the event, Sheryl Crow.

For more details about the show and about Stand Up to Cancer, go here.

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A two-drug combination for treating advanced kidney cancer had sustained and durable clinical benefit in more than five years of follow-up, according to a study published Aug. 1 in Nature Medicine. 

The study reports final clinical data and biomarker analyses from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 trial, which compared the drug combination pembrolizumab plus axitinib versus the single drug sunitinib for patients with previously untreated advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common type of kidney cancer.

“KEYNOTE-426 was the first trial to combine a PD-1 inhibitor immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) with a VEGF receptor inhibitor antiangiogenic drug (axitinib) in the first-line setting for advanced renal cell carcinoma. It therefore has the longest follow-up duration among the various trials comparing these types of drug combinations,” said Brian Rini, MD, a medical oncologist at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and the study’s lead and corresponding author. 

Immunotherapy drugs like pembrolizumab stimulate the immune system to kill tumor cells. VEGF receptor inhibitors like axitinib and sunitinib block angiogenesis — the development of blood vessels that tumors need to grow and spread. Pembrolizumab plus axitinib and other immunotherapy-antiangiogenic drug combinations are now standard first-line treatments for advanced kidney cancer. 

“Before the development of antiangiogenic drugs and immunotherapies, advanced renal cell carcinoma had a very poor prognosis. These drug combinations have dramatically improved treatment options and outcomes for patients,” said Rini, Thomas F. Frist Sr. Professor of Medicine. 

The first interim analysis of outcomes from KEYNOTE-426, published Feb. 16, 2019, in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that trial participants treated with pembrolizumab plus axitinib had longer overall and progression-free survival, and higher objective response rates compared to those taking sunitinib. The median follow-up was 12.8 months. 

Now, with a median follow-up of 67.2 months, the current analysis confirms and extends the interim analysis and provides valuable information about biomarkers that could help guide treatment decisions. 

The study in Nature Medicine reports that pembrolizumab plus axitinib had longer overall survival (47.2 months versus 40.8 months for sunitinib) and longer progression-free survival (15.7 months versus 11.1 months for sunitinib). The objective response rate was 60.6% for pembrolizumab plus axitinib and 39.6% for sunitinib. 

The researchers reported a variety of associations between the expression of biomarkers and outcomes (overall survival, progression-free survival, objective response rate). The biomarkers they evaluated included an 18-gene T-cell-inflamed expression profile, angiogenesis signature, and PD-1 ligand expression. 

“There is an unmet need for biomarkers that are predictive of patient outcomes following treatment with available first-line therapies for advanced renal cell carcinoma,” Rini said. “Although our analysis showed potential clinical utility of some RNA signatures in identifying patients who are likely to benefit the most from each treatment, further prospective clinical studies are needed.” 

Pembrolizumab plus axitinib is a first-line treatment option for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma regardless of biomarker subtypes, he noted. 

The research was supported by the pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, which played a role in the study design and conduct.

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The first class has completed the VERTICAL Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, which provides medical and graduate school preparation for aspiring oncologists and cancer researchers.

The program was established in 2023 with financial support from the American Cancer Society, and Vanderbilt-Ingram had an inaugural class of four fellows. This was followed by the enrollment of another fellow in 2024.

“This is a two-year program that gives trainees a robust mentored research experience,” said Kimberly Dahlman, PhD, associate professor of Medicine, who is the assistant director of Research Education at Vanderbilt-Ingram. “In addition to being embedded in a cancer research laboratory, fellows also participate in professional development and cancer education activities, including career-path, lunch-and-learn sessions and cancer biology coursework.

“They are also involved in community service projects related to cancer. This program gives them dedicated time to prepare for their medical school or graduate school applications, in addition to their research experiences.”

In August, another class of four fellows will start the VERTICAL Program, which is kept small so it can be tailored to individual development plans. The participants do not receive credits toward graduate degrees, but they do become more competitive for acceptance into medical and graduate school programs.

“The VERTICAL Program gave me the final push I needed to pursue a PhD,” said Asia Miller, a member of the inaugural class from Indiana, who has a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in Biological Sciences “I was not confident in my identity as a researcher before the program, despite having done research in all four years of college. This was the best professional and personal development experience I have ever had.”

Bryan Hernandez, another inaugural class member who has a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from The University of Texas at El Paso, said he is looking forward to a career as a physician-scientist.

“The VERTICAL Program provided me with the perfect combination of structured mentoring and independent guidance throughout my two years in the program,” Hernandez said. “This dynamic exposed me to more robust career-building opportunities in areas of cancer research and medicine I was not previously familiar with. Thanks to my time in the VERTICAL Program, I was able to progress into the next formative step in my intended career path as a physician-scientist with a newfound outlook on the field of science and medicine I had been interested in.”

VERTICAL is an acronym for Vanderbilt Education Research and Training in Cancer and Leadership Program. It is open to individuals with bachelor’s degrees from nationally accredited colleges or universities who desire to pursue doctoral degrees and careers in science or medicine with a focus on cancer. Participants are paid a living wage.

“We also pay for MCAT preparation for fellows who want to take the MCAT for medical school applications,” said Dahlman, who is also co-director of the third- and fourth-year undergraduate medical education curriculum at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

VERTICAL fellows at Vanderbilt-Ingram are also offered the opportunity to do clinical shadowing and are provided financial support to attend one conference a year to present their research.

Vanderbilt-Ingram was selected as one of the five initial pilot locations for the postbaccalaureate fellows program, which was started by the American Cancer Society. Each of the pilot institutions has its own name for the program. Debra Friedman, MD, MS, holder of the E. Bronson Ingram Chair in Pediatric Oncology and deputy director of Vanderbilt-Ingram, serves as assistant director of the VERTICAL Program. Caroline Hartford is the senior program manager of VERTICAL.

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A new prospective clinical trial with updated data on COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths among patients with cancer confirms the importance of vaccination and sheds light on which conditions put patients most at risk. 

Patients who had been vaccinated had a 50% reduction in risk of hospitalization, according to data from the National Cancer Institute COVID-19 in Cancer Patients Study (NCCAPS) published July 17 in JAMA Oncology.

Death incidence was highest in patients with lymphoma, intermediate in patients with acute leukemia and lung cancer, and lowest in patients with other solid tumors or with blood cancers other than lymphoma. Patients who had undergone chemotherapy or who had a history of stroke, atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolism were at higher risk for hospitalization. 

The finding that patients with lymphoma had the highest risk of death suggests a potential detrimental effect of B-cell-depleting therapy on COVID-19 outcomes, the study stated, but the authors noted that this hypothesis was confounded by the inherent immunosuppression in patients with lymphoma. 

“These results are important because they represent the only prospective clinical trial in patients with a recent diagnosis of COVID and an active cancer undergoing therapy,” said the study’s lead author Brian Rini, MD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and Thomas F. Frist Sr. Professor of Medicine. 

Rini is one of two principal investigators of NCCAPS. The other is Lorissa Korde, MD, with NCI’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, who is the study’s senior author. Patients were accrued for the study between 2020 and 2022, and the statistical analysis took place between September 2024 and April 2025. 

The study involved 1,572 adult patients who had a COVID-19 diagnosis within 14 days while receiving active treatment for cancer or had a prior stem cell transplant or CAR-T cellular treatment therapy. In addition to outcomes, investigators analyzed COVID-19 therapies patients received and disruptions in cancer treatment. The most common type of disruption was a delayed cancer treatment. 

The majority of patients had already been accrued for analysis before the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization for the antiviral treatment nirmatrelvir with ritonavir, which is most commonly known by its brand name, Paxlovid. Of the patients who enrolled in the study after the first COVID-19 vaccine received FDA emergency use authorization, 41.5% were fully vaccinated. 

“These data provide a road map to protect the most vulnerable cancer populations not only from COVID, but from potential future pandemics,” Rini said. 

Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 within 90 days of enrollment accounted for 18.4% of the study group. Among the hospitalized patients, 23.4% were admitted to an intensive care unit.  

The study was funded in part by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and also by the National Cancer Institute National Clinical Trials Network, Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network, and Community Oncology Research Program grants via the U10 funding mechanism.  

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Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) has announced that its ninth biennial roadblock televised fundraising special will air on Friday, Aug. 15, from Nashville, bringing together country music stars, celebrities, athletes, cancer researchers and survivors for a powerful evening of inspiration and celebration.

This marks the first time the telecast will be broadcast from Nashville, and it will take place at The Pinnacle, a new premier event venue in the heart of Music City. Airing at 7 p.m. CT, the one-hour special continues SU2C’s 17-year mission to fund cancer research and save lives.

With the move to Nashville, SU2C will harness the city’s creative energy and musical heritage to bring a new dimension and excitement to this year’s show. The telecast will feature artists from country and other musical genres coming together in unique collaborations, an artistic reflection of SU2C’s commitment to scientific teamwork where researchers unite to accelerate progress.

Music icon Dolly Parton will appear in the special, with GRAMMY Award-winning artist Sheryl Crow serving as host. Additional performers and celebrity participants will be revealed in the weeks ahead.

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is welcoming SU2C to Nashville.

“We are thrilled that Stand Up To Cancer will be bringing this special event to Nashville, and we welcome them to our city,” said Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology, professor of Medicine, and director of Vanderbilt-Ingram. “Our physicians, researchers and patients are familiar with the exceptional work of this organization that funds research to advance cancer treatments, which ultimately saves lives.

“This will be an extraordinary evening featuring some of Nashville’s most talented entertainers, and we hope everyone will join us for the telecast that will showcase not only our great city, but also the amazing research that has emanated from SU2C.”

As a leading academic medical center with deep roots in the region, Vanderbilt-Ingram shares SU2C’s commitment to advancing cancer research and improving patient outcomes.

“The goal of Stand Up To Cancer has always been about working collaboratively to push cancer research forward so we could help patients as quickly as possible,” said Katie Couric, SU2C co-founder. “Nearly two decades later, it’s incredibly gratifying and inspiring to see the impact of this research. Bringing the show to Nashville will infuse new energy and excitement into our mission. There’s still so much work to do and every dollar makes a difference — especially to the families who are counting on novel approaches and therapies as they face the challenges that often accompany a cancer diagnosis.”

The biennial special will be carried across more than 30 participating media platforms, including all four major U.S. broadcast networks, which are generously donating one hour of commercial-free primetime. Viewers will also be able to watch the telecast on-demand across multiple digital and streaming platforms, ensuring broad and flexible access to this one-night-only event.

Telecast viewers will hear from leading SU2C-funded researchers about recent advances and why continued support is vital in the fight against cancer. The program will also feature powerful stories from survivors who benefited from research made possible by donor contributions. From early detection to new treatment approaches, these stories reflect the real-world impact of SU2C-funded research and the hope it brings to patients and families.

Stand Up To Cancer was established in 2008 by a group of women who wanted to galvanize the entertainment community to raise awareness and funding to advance collaborative cancer research and end cancer as a leading cause of death.

Since its inception, SU2C has brought together over 3,100 top researchers from more than 210 leading institutions across 16 countries to collaborate on advancing cancer research.

SU2C-funded research has contributed to the saving of tens of thousands of lives worldwide.

To learn more about the 2025 event, visit https://standuptocancer.org. For more information visit StandUpToCancer.org, Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, and YouTube. 

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Susan G. Komen has awarded $10.8 million in new research grants that will help propel innovative science and deliver hope to those facing breast cancer. The grant recipients include three researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The grants support 25 cutting-edge projects at 17 institutions — marking a powerful commitment to improving outcomes for people living with breast cancer today and in the future.

“We are proud to support these exceptional researchers who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in breast cancer science,” said Paula Schneider, president and CEO of Susan G. Komen. “Research saves lives, and now more than ever, we must invest in science that brings hope to patients — especially those facing the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.”

The three VUMC researchers were each awarded Komen Leadership Grants of $400,000. The Komen Leadership Grant Program supports innovative, hypothesis-driven breast cancer research that aligns with Komen’s mission to save lives and improve personalized care and outcomes for all. Open to Komen’s Scientific Advisors and to Komen Scholars, the program funds bold, high-risk/high-reward projects with the potential to significantly advance the field of breast cancer research.

The VUMC recipients are Tuya Pal, MD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Medicine; Ben Ho Park, MD, PhD, Benjamin F. Byrd Jr. Professor of Oncology and professor of Medicine; and Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Biochemistry.

Through this research investment, Komen is prioritizing the most pressing challenges facing patients, including metastatic breast cancer, optimal health for all and the need for more precise, personalized treatment strategies to improve care and outcomes for everyone impacted by breast cancer.

“Komen’s commitment to breast cancer research comes at a pivotal time and will drive meaningful advances in our understanding of the disease and care of patients,” said Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, Chief Scientific Advisor for Komen. “By fueling science that is both innovative and inclusive, we’re accelerating progress where patients need it most — while building a foundation for individualized care for all.”

Komen is the largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research outside the U.S. government, investing nearly $1.1 billion since its inception. Unlike many research institutions, Komen’s work is powered entirely by the generosity of individual donors, corporate partners and community supporters.

“Investing in top scientific talent is one of the most powerful ways we can drive progress,” said Pietenpol, PhD, Chief Scientific Advisor for Komen. “Komen’s commitment, especially to early-career researchers, cultivates a vibrant ecosystem where bold ideas and pioneering research can thrive, accelerating our path toward the cures we urgently seek.”

Pietenpol holds the Brock Family Directorship in Career Development at VUMC. Park is director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and a member of the Komen Scientific Advisory Board. Pal is a Komen Scholar.

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Cancer patients who scored lower on health literacy screening experienced higher all-cause mortality, according to a study published in the journal Cancer.

The study followed Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center patients for a median of 3.1 years who had taken the Brief Health Literacy Screen. Patients who had high health literacy on the screening lived 9.4 months longer compared to those with low health literacy (score of nine or lower). The 9,603 patients in the retrospective cohort study were diagnosed with either prostate, lung, breast, renal, colorectal, brain, head and neck, bladder, pancreatic, liver, sarcoma or gastric cancer.

“Cancer care is extremely complex, and we highlight that health literacy is an important risk factor in terms of survival in one of the largest studies conducted evaluating the impact of health literacy and cancer survival,” said the study’s senior author, Kamran Idrees, MD, MSCI, MMHC, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, professor of Surgery and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery.

He further stated, “Since health literacy is a modifiable risk factor, it provides us an opportunity for real-time identification of patients with low health literacy to personalize care, provide health literacy sensitive resources, tailored instruction and education to improve their cancer care.”

The screening consists of three multiple-choice questions about patients’ comfort levels with understanding medical information and filling out hospital forms. A point system, ranging from one to five, is assessed according to answers to the questions.

Although the study did not seek to discover causal findings, such as direct links between patient mortality and patients’ ability to make informed decisions about treatment scenarios, the investigators surmised the difference in outcomes was likely multifactorial.

The investigators stated they endorsed the routine collection of health literacy information for patients diagnosed with cancer and that they encouraged the adoption of strategies to improve organizational health literacy in facilities that provide cancer care. They noted that not all cancer patients with low health literacy experienced worse outcomes. Observational studies for specific cancer types that assess health literacy are needed to evaluate interventions aimed at improving outcomes, they said.

Other Vanderbilt authors on the study included Kelvin Moses, MD, PhD, Julia Whitman, MS, and Sunil Kripalani, MD, MSc.

The investigators state that to their knowledge the study is the first to assess the association between health literacy and all-cause mortality among different cancer types.

The research received support from a Society of Surgical Oncology Foundation Investigator Award for a grant titled “Health Literacy and Cancer Outcomes.”

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