Sylvester’s Game Changer: Taking Cancer Screening to the Streets
Summary
- Sylvester’s Game Changer™ mobile program expands cancer screening and education in high‑risk South Florida communities.
- Innovative screenings, including PSA and HPV self‑sampling, advance early cancer detection and community‑based research.
- Guided by SCAN 360 data and local partnerships, the program delivers targeted, culturally relevant cancer outreach.
For thousands of South Floridians, access to cancer screening doesn’t begin in a clinic. It begins when a Sylvester Game Changer™ vehicle pulls into a neighborhood.
Through the mobile outreach initiative from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth — University Miami Health System and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, cancer screening, education and research are meeting people where they are. Designed to reach communities at highest risk, the program is expanding access to lifesaving care across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties.
“We are committed to reducing cancer burden through preventive care, including free screenings, educational programs, counseling and referral services,” said Erin Kobetz, Ph.D., M.P.H., the John K. and Judy S. Schulte Senior Endowed Professor in Cancer Research, vice president for health promotion and chief wellbeing officer, associate director for community outreach and engagement and co-director of the Clinical Translational Science Institute at the Miller School. “Our work is essential for assuring that all Floridians have access to cancer screening and other services that promote risk reduction.”
In 2025, the Game Changer team reach more than 47,000 South Floridians through 168 cancer screening and 370 community education events.
Prostate Cancer Screening
Early detection of prostate cancer is critical to improving outcomes. Men who visit a Game Changer site can now participate in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, which requires only a few drops of blood.
“More than 95% of prostate cancers are curable when detected early,” said Brandon Mahal, M.D., associate professor and vice chair of radiation oncology. “But when the cancer is more advanced, it can be problematic.”
Dr. Mahal noted that many men remain unaware that the traditional digital rectal exam has largely been replaced by PSA testing, a shift highlighted in a recent Super Bowl commercial featuring National Football League “tight ends.”
Men who participate in Game Changer PSA screenings are also invited to enroll in a Sylvester research study funded by the American Cancer Society examining lifestyle, genetic and metabolic factors, as well as neighborhood conditions, that may influence prostate cancer outcomes.
“This is the only screening research model of its kind in the United States,” Dr. Mahal said. “It is also a two-way project, since we will deliver our research findings back to the community.”
Screening for HPV
The Game Changer team is expanding its use of self-sampling tests for human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause several types of cancer and other health problems in women and men.
“This innovative program, endorsed by the American Cancer Society, allows for convenient and comfortable cervical cancer screening at home for women and adolescents,” Dr. Kobetz said.
In the coming year, the team will also introduce HPV self-sampling for anal cancer screening. Dr. Kobetz and Isabella Rosa-Cunha, M.D., associate professor in the Miller School’s Division of Infectious Diseases, are leading a National Cancer Institute-funded study, “Personalized Outreach and Multifaceted Interventions for Screening Enhancement (PROMISE) for Anal and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment.” The multicenter study includes collaborators from Emory University.
“Our goal is to identify precancerous lesions that can be treated, reducing the risk of invasive anal cancer,” Dr. Kobetz said.
HPV infection, along with smoking and alcohol use, can also contribute to oral and throat cancers in both men and women. For that reason, Game Changer also provides convenient access to head and neck cancer screening, according to Elizabeth Franzmann, M.D., professor of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery and director of head and neck research at the Miller School.
“The Game Changer program is especially valuable for reaching areas with high rates of late-stage head and neck cancers, such as South Miami-Dade,” Dr. Franzmann said. “It also helps our team better understand what is needed to overcome barriers to accessing care.”
Cancer Screenings for More of South Florida
Since deploying its first Game Changer vehicle in 2018, Sylvester has expanded the program with two additional minivans, allowing the outreach team to cover more ground each day throughout South Florida.
“We deploy our vehicles strategically to serve neighborhoods where needs are greatest,” Dr. Kobetz said. “The minivans can travel to libraries, community events, fairs, offices and other locations, giving us greater day-to-day flexibility.”
The outreach teams typically include staff who speak English, Spanish and Haitian Creole, ensuring communication in participants’ preferred languages.
To identify high-risk communities, the Game Changer team relies on SCAN 360, Sylvester’s proprietary population health analytics platform, along with state and national cancer data.
A model for other National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers, SCAN 360 allows users to filter data by 18 cancer types, geography, ethnicity, sex, age and other variables, producing detailed visualizations of cancer burden at the community level.
“SCAN 360 is critical to our mission,” Dr. Kobetz said. “It allows us to identify communities with higher-than-expected disease burden and engage community partners to determine the best next steps for collaborative science.”
Working with Community Partners
To maximize impact, Sylvester works closely with community partners that host health fairs, holiday events and other gatherings, increasing awareness of available screening services.
The Game Changer team collaborates with county community advisory boards and Florida’s Area Health Education Centers, among others. In the Florida Keys, for example, Sylvester partnered with MammoLink Mobile Mammography and the Florida Department of Health to provide accessible breast cancer screening.
Many partnerships emphasize cancer education, helping individuals and families understand risk factors, symptoms and prevention strategies.
“We appreciate our partners’ support, as many South Floridians are not familiar with the causes or symptoms of different cancers,” Dr. Franzmann said. “It’s not unusual for someone who attends a Game Changer event to return with a family member, friend or neighbor for screening.”
Reflecting on the program’s growth, Dr. Kobetz said Sylvester has aligned its community outreach and engagement efforts with the Florida Cancer Plan, positioning the cancer center as a key contributor to statewide cancer prevention.
“We are committed to saving lives by making cancer screening more accessible, culturally relevant and actionable throughout South Florida,” Dr. Kobetz said.
Tags: cancer research, cancer screening, Dr. Brandon Mahal, Dr. Elizabeth Franzmann, Dr. Erin Kobetz, Dr. Isabella Rosa-Cunha, Game Changer, head and neck cancers, HPV infection, HPV-related cancers, prostate cancer, SCAN 360, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center