CANCER PREVENTION AND CONTROL

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The Cancer Prevention and Control (CPC) Program has undergone substantial growth and reorganization. It is an extremely interdisciplinary program involving 40 members from 12 Departments representing basic, translational, prevention and clinical investigators. Members have a total of $1 IM (annual direct costs) in peer-reviewed funding, including $4M from the NCI. During 2008-2011, CPC Program members generated a total of 473 peer-reviewed publications, including 16% intraprogrammatic, and 25% interprogrammatic publications. The overall goal of the Program is to promote novel cancer population science discoveries through interdisciplinary research, and to translate the knowledge into clinical and public health practice. The Program research spectrum is centered on understanding the determinants of major transition steps along the human health continuum, i.e., from the healthy state to the development of cancer, and then to cancer outcomes, as well as studying potential avenues of prevention. Thematically, the research themes are organized under two major themes: Theme 1) cancer risk and prevention; and Theme 2) cancer outcomes. The specific scientific objectives in Theme 1 are to: la) identify novel genomic, nutritional, and environmental determinants and their interactions in cancer risk; lb) identify the biological and behavioral basis for tobacco and alcohol use, and apply this knowledge to develop prevention and cessation-related treatment strategies; and Ic) examine biological and behavioral factors related to screening, early detection and prevention of cancer. The specific scientific objectives in Theme 2 are to: 2a) investigate the bio-behavioral, psychosocial and environmental determinants of cancer-related health outcomes, including survivorship; and 2b) examine cost-effectiveness and economic factors related to cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. As a cross-cutting theme, the majority of our Program members are focused on health disparities research in both local and global contexts. The CPC Program has well-established strengths in molecular, genetic and environmental epidemiology, biobehavioral and addiction research, as well as laboratory and preclinical studies in prevention sciences. A sub-theme on cancer outcomes, economics and survivorship research adds a new dimension to Program research by taking advantage of University of Chicago renowned strengths in economics and social sciences. Overall, the Program encompasses substantial transdisciplinary interactions and collaborations within and across programs.