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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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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