Glaser-Boivin, Dee

Abstract Black/African American populations, globally, bear the greatest prostate cancer (CaP) burden compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Addressing CaP disparities in Black men is complex, requiring a patient-centered, community-centric and comprehensive approach. This study integrates iCCaRE Consortium findings and broader literature to address unmet needs in survivorship care. The iCCaRE Consortium implemented five complementary pilot studies using mixed-methods designs, including feasibility trials, qualitative research, and observational analyses across the United States and sub-Saharan Africa. Descriptive statistics, subgroup analyses, and qualitative thematic analyses were performed across these studies. Collectively, projects addressed multilevel determinants including social, behavioral, and biological drivers of disparities. Project 1 implemented a Virtual Reality Assistant (ViRA) across clinical and community settings, with ongoing evaluation in pragmatic trials. Project 2 showed strong patient preference for home-based cancer care. Project 3 enrolled demonstrated trends toward improved health-related quality of life. Project 4 identified key themes influencing survivorship experiences. Project 5 identified biological mechanisms linking stress, immune modulation, and symptom burden. The iCCaRE pilot projects demonstrate the feasibility and early impact of a consortium-based, transdisciplinary approach to addressing CaP disparities in Black men. These findings highlight the importance of integrating patient-centered interventions, community engagement, and biological insights to inform scalable strategies aimed at improving survivorship outcomes and advancing health equity. The iCCaRE Consortium demonstrates that a transatlantic, patient-centered, and multidisciplinary approach integrating social, clinical, and biological factors can generate scalable strategies to improve survivorship outcomes and advance equity in CaP care for Black men.

Abstract Background: Black men carry a disproportionate prostate cancer (CaP) burden and often experience significant psychosocial distress at the point of prostate cancer diagnosis (PPCD). Many report emotional shock, uncertainty, and limited access to culturally competent guidance, which can negatively affect treatment decisions and long-term survivorship. To address these needs, we developed the PPCD Virtual Reality Assistant (ViRA), an immersive, AI-enabled intervention co-designed with Black CaP survivors. ViRA delivers tailored psycho-oncology support, emotional guidance, and navigation of social determinants of health (SDOH) within virtual reality environments. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of the PPCD ViRA (NCT06535802). Methods: ViRA was developed through a structured, seven-step co-design process with survivors, integrating mobile immersive technologies, SDOH navigation, and culturally grounded psycho-oncology content. Personalization was enabled through AI-driven predictive analytics and a recommendation engine. Alpha testing assessed initial usability and acceptability among 10 participants (seven team members and three Black CaP survivors). Beta testing with 24 Black men in Florida examined feasibility and preliminary efficacy. Results: A demonstration of ViRA is available (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mI-HS5R6sk). Alpha testing indicated strong usability, positive emotional engagement, and clear promise for enhancing support at the PPCD. In Beta testing, participants varied in age; most were married (58.3%), held a bachelor’s degree (45.8%), were retired (45.8%), and had a family history of cancer (83.3%). ViRA use was associated with increased engagement and reduced distress across participants. Overall, 74% rated ViRA as “excellent,” while the remainder rated it as “good” or “very good.” More than 90% reported being “very satisfied,” with the rest indicating satisfaction. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate high feasibility, acceptability, and cultural relevance of the PPCD ViRA for supporting Black men at diagnosis. Lessons learned highlight the need for culturally embedded design, emotional timing, community co-creation, flexible delivery formats, and strong community partnerships to advance digital health equity. The refinement and larger-scale validation to establish clinical utility and readiness for implementation is ongoing (NCT07126548). Citation Format: Folakemi T. Odedina, Che Ngufor, Christopher Williams, Mary Ellen Young, Floyd Willis, Adam M. Kase, Arnold Merriweather, Emelina Asto-Flores, Dee M. Glaser-Boivin, Jada Melton, Monica L. Albertie, Michelle Fudge, Quincy Wimberly, Inclusive Cancer Care Research Equity (iCCaRE) Consortium, Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC). Novel application of the iCCaRE consortium virtual reality assistant (ViRA) to support Black men at the point of prostate cancer diagnosis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 6306.