Sanford Health receives grant to study cervical cancer
Study focusing on American Indian women under

(Sioux Falls, SD) – A grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is allowing Sanford Health researchers to explore the origin of cervical cancer in American Indian women.

The five-year grant totals nearly $1.6 million. Sanford scientist Subhash Chauhan, PhD, is the principal investigator leading a team of seven researchers.

“Cervical cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide,” said Chauhan. “This grant will allow us to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in American Indian women and also serves as a platform to reduce it in other underserved populations.”

According to Chauhan, American Indian women living in the northern plains experience a greater incidence of cervical cancer. Sanford studies have shown American Indian women have a higher incidence of human papillomavirus, an early indicator of cervical cancer, than Caucasian women. The study also seeks to determine if a link exists between smoking and cervical cancer. Four times more American Indian women smoke than Caucasian women.

The NIH, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency. The NIH includes the National Cancer Institute, which is supporting this research.

About Sanford Research/USD
Sanford Research/USD is a non-profit research organization formed between Sanford Health and the University of South Dakota. Sanford Health is an integrated health system headquartered in Fargo, ND and Sioux Falls, SD and represents the largest, rural, not-for-profit healthcare system in the nation with a presence in 111 communities, eight states and three countries. In 2007, a transformational gift of $400 million by Denny Sanford provided for an expansion of children’s and research initiatives, specifically finding a cure for type 1 diabetes, and has given Sanford Research significant momentum in its goal of becoming one of the premiere research institutions in the United States and the world. Most recently, a subsequent gift of $100 million by Mr. Sanford has paved the way to establish Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Research.

With a team of more than 200 researchers, Sanford Research comprises several research centers, including Children’s Health Research, Edith Sanford Breast Cancer, Cancer Biology, Cardiovascular Health, Center for Health Outcomes and Prevention, and the National Institute for Athletic Health and Performance (NIAHP).