The Prevent Cancer Foundation Blog » Research http://blog.preventcancer.org Information about Foundation events and interests. Thu, 23 May 2013 18:30:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 HPV May Trigger Lung Cancer: New Study http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/hpv-may-trigger-lung-cancer-new-study/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/hpv-may-trigger-lung-cancer-new-study/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 18:00:29 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=10513 Human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus known to cause cervical and head and neck cancers, may also trigger some cases of lung cancer, according to new preliminary research presented by Fox Chase Cancer Center. When examining tumor tissue samples from lung cancer patients who have never smoked, researchers found six percent of the samples showed signs of HPV infection. Researchers say further study is needed to understand the role HPV plays in some cases of cancer, which could potentially help us find ways to treat lung cancer more effectively. Although the study suggests that only a small percentage of those tumors stem from HPV, study author Dr. Ranee Mehra notes this linkage could help a large number of patients, given that lung cancer kills more than 1 million people a year and approximately 10 percent of lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers.

Read the full Health Day article.

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/hpv-may-trigger-lung-cancer-new-study/feed/ 0 Researcher Studies Breast Cancer Screening and Whether More is Always Better http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/researcher-studies-breast-cancer-screening-and-whether-more-is-always-better/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/researcher-studies-breast-cancer-screening-and-whether-more-is-always-better/#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 16:13:55 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=10376 In keeping up with the innovative work of the researchers we fund early on in their careers, the Prevent Cancer Foundation is showcasing researcher Dejana Braithwaite, PhD. Dr. Braithwaite is an assistant professor of cancer epidemiology at the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, San Francisco. She received a fellowship from the Prevent Cancer Foundation and the American Society of Preventive Oncology in spring 2007 for a study of environmental influences of puberty (stress and belly fat) and breast cancer risk. Dr. Braithwaite continues to do research in breast cancer, and her latest study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, examines breast cancer screening in older women, ages 66 – 89. This study was also covered by several popular media outlets, including Reuters, UPI and U.S. News & World Report.

Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, is a former fellow of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, is a former fellow of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Dr. Braithwaite and her colleagues compared yearly breast cancer screening with screening every two years to see if there were differences in the stage of diagnosis. The results showed that, for women ages 66-74, the risk of having breast cancer detected at a later stage is no greater for women screened every two years than it is for women screened annually.

The study also looked at how screening intervals affected the number of false-positive test results. For women ages 66 – 89, Dr. Braithwaite found that women screened yearly were more likely to have false-positive results than were women screened every two years.

The results of this study may not resolve the ongoing debate about breast cancer screening intervals, but these new findings provide valuable information for older women discussing the impact of screening yearly versus every two years.

Recently, we caught up with Dr. Braithwaite to ask her a few questions about the impact of the Foundation’s fellowship on her career and the importance of funding cancer prevention and early detection research. Here is what she had to say:

How did receiving an earlier Prevent Cancer Foundation/American Society of Preventive Oncology fellowship impact your career in breast cancer research?

Receiving a Prevent Cancer Foundation/American Society of Preventive Oncology fellowship enabled me to develop further expertise in cancer prevention research and epidemiology. I am incredibly grateful to the Prevent Cancer Foundation for helping to launch my career in breast cancer research.

Why is it important to fund research in prevention and early detection?

Cancer, especially breast cancer, is a common disease and one of the leading causes of death around the globe. Through prevention and early detection, our goal is to reduce the disease burden and improve life expectancy.

Learn more about the innovative research being funded by the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

 

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/researcher-studies-breast-cancer-screening-and-whether-more-is-always-better/feed/ 0 Heart Health = Cancer Prevention http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/heart-health-cancer-prevention/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/heart-health-cancer-prevention/#comments Fri, 05 Apr 2013 01:00:56 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=10185 Healthy habits do more than just help protect you and your family from cancer, they can also help prevent other chronic illnesses, such as heart disease. In fact, a recent study suggests heart health may be a vital component in lowering one’s risk for cancer. Researchers tracked over 13,000 people over time who were advised to follow the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Simple 7,” a guide to reducing one’s risk for heart disease, which includes exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy, controlling cholesterol, keeping blood pressure down, regulating blood sugar levels and avoiding smoking. The study found that those who followed six or seven of the steps reduced their risk of cancer by 51 percent compared to those who followed none of the steps.

Read the full CBS News article

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/heart-health-cancer-prevention/feed/ 0 Dramatic Increase in Anal Cancer Cases and Deaths http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/dramatic-increase-in-anal-cancer-cases-and-deaths/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/dramatic-increase-in-anal-cancer-cases-and-deaths/#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 23:00:19 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=10181 A new study shows the number of people in the U.S. with anal cancer has tripled since the 1970s. Researchers reviewed a collection of data on the most common type of anal cancer cases in the U.S. from 1973 to 2009, and were surprised by the dramatic increase in cases. Although both sexes saw an increase in anal cancer, the rate for men jumped most dramatically – from one in every 100,000 men to three in every 100,000. Researchers suggest that an increase in detection among high-risk groups, such as those with HIV or human papillomavirus (HPV), may account for the rise in anal cancer.

Read the full Reuters article

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/dramatic-increase-in-anal-cancer-cases-and-deaths/feed/ 0 Night Shift Workers Face Greater Risk for Ovarian Cancer http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/night-shift-workers-face-greater-risk-for-ovarian-cancer/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/night-shift-workers-face-greater-risk-for-ovarian-cancer/#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:43:47 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=10172 According to a new study, women who work the night shift are at a greater risk for ovarian cancer. Researchers followed more than 1,100 women with advanced ovarian cancer, nearly 400 with early-stage disease and a comparison group of women without ovarian cancer. Night shift work was associated with an increased risk of advanced ovarian cancer and an increased risk of early-stage cancer for women age 50 and older. This type of work has also been linked to a higher risk for breast cancer, affirming the need for shift workers to do everything they can to get adequate amounts of sleep.

Read the full MedPageToday article

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/night-shift-workers-face-greater-risk-for-ovarian-cancer/feed/ 0 Researcher Q & A: Researcher Examines How Message Framing and Emotions Effect Screening Decisions http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/researcher-examines-how-message-framing-and-emotions-effect-screening-decisions/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/researcher-examines-how-message-framing-and-emotions-effect-screening-decisions/#comments Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:35:56 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=9829 William Klein, PhD, is the Associate Director of the Behavioral Research Program at the National Cancer Institute. In the spring of 2007, as an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Klein received a grant from the Prevent Cancer Foundation. His research looked at how health messages are framed and the role of emotions in medical decision making. For example, are health messages more successful if they focus on the losses from not screening versus the gains from screening? Do emotions play a role in how people respond to different types of messaging? Dr. Klein shares his research findings and the impact of the Foundation’s funding early in his career.

What led you to the field of health communication and behavioral research?

My PhD is in social psychology, and I was doing a great deal of research on self-judgment, social comparison and optimism in the early part of my career which led me to think about how people judge risk and, by extension, how we can effectively communicate risk in ways that influence their health behavior in an adaptive way.

Tell us about your research on whether loss-framed messages will encourage more colorectal cancer screening, particularly in people who reflect on their future feelings. Did this effect occur because of their perceptions of vulnerability?

There was much work in previous research showing that loss-framed messages (e.g. if you don’t get screened you could have cancer and not know it) were more effective than gain-framed messages (e.g. if you get screened, you can reassure yourself that you don’t have cancer) in promoting screening. The reason is that people view screening as risky (because they could get bad news), and research in decision-making and behavioral economics shows that people are more likely to take risks when faced with a possible loss than with a possible gain. However, little work has been done on whether the emotions that people are experiencing at the time they get a message influence whether the message frame (loss vs. gain) makes a difference. So we decided to put people in an emotional state and then test how loss-framed or gain-framed messages affected them. We were pleased to find out that the gain-framed message was as effective as the loss-framed message at encouraging screening when people are in a positive emotional state, as caused by asking them to imagine the relief they would experience upon being told their test was negative. Without this “emotional booster,” however, the loss-framed message was more effective as has been shown in previous research.

How did receiving a Prevent Cancer Foundation grant impact your research?

I benefited a great deal from the opportunity to complete this project because it jump-started several other projects on how emotional experiences might have an impact on the effect of health communications on people’s risk perceptions and behavior. This study and others also showed me the value of supporting more-nuanced work in health communication, which I am now doing in my current position as Associate Director of the Behavioral Research Program at the National Cancer Institute.

Why is it important to fund research like this in cancer prevention and early detection?

It is important because many assumptions we make about communicating health risks are misguided. People’s goals, motivations and emotions are important factors in how they respond to health communications, so failing to recognize their influence may lead to failures to change behavior and may sometimes promote even riskier behavior. Funded research on effective strategies is essential.

 

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/researcher-examines-how-message-framing-and-emotions-effect-screening-decisions/feed/ 0 Diet Soda May Cause Diabetes Risk http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/diet-soda-may-cause-diabetes-risk/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/diet-soda-may-cause-diabetes-risk/#comments Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:36:24 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=9763 New research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows a link between the consumption of diet soda and increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. The study tracked the beverage habits of over 66,000 women for over 14 years. The women self-reported their consumption of 100 percent juice, sugar-sweetened drinks and artificially sweetened drinks. By the end of the study period, 1,369 of the women were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that on average, the women consumed more diet drinks than sugar-sweetened drinks and that both diet and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was linked with a higher risk of developing diabetes. It’s not known whether the artificial sweeteners in the diet drinks actually cause diabetes, but past studies have linked these drinks with weight gain and increased risk of stroke and heart attack. There are many healthier alternatives to soda, such as seltzer water, tea and iced coffee that are flavorful and can stave off cravings for sugary sodas.

Read the full Huffington Post article

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/diet-soda-may-cause-diabetes-risk/feed/ 0 Cancer Gaps Remain for African Americans http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/cancer-gaps-remain-for-african-americans/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/cancer-gaps-remain-for-african-americans/#comments Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:29:32 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=9757 The latest figures show many improvements have been made in cancer treatments and care for African Americans within the last decade. Since 1990 nearly 200,000 cancer deaths in black Americans have been avoided. But cancer death rates for both African American men and women are still higher than whites. Black women are 16 percent more likely to die from cancer than their white female counterparts. Latest research also shows that between 2005 and 2009, about 288 black men died from cancer out of every 100,000, compared to 217 white men. Experts say the new numbers show that more can and should be done to ensure equal access to cancer prevention, early detection and state-of-the-art treatments for all Americans.

Read the full NBCNews article

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2013/cancer-gaps-remain-for-african-americans/feed/ 0 Researcher Examines the Importance of Communication in Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Early Detection http://blog.preventcancer.org/2012/researcher-examines-the-importance-of-communication-in-colorectal-cancer-prevention-and-early-detection/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2012/researcher-examines-the-importance-of-communication-in-colorectal-cancer-prevention-and-early-detection/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:31:03 +0000 Ashley http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=8757 Lisa Madlensky, PhD, an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Diego, received a grant from the Foundation in spring 2006 to study ways to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in patients with polyps and their families. This month we caught up with her to learn more about her research on the complex communication about colon polyps between doctors, patients and their families.

Tell us about your project aimed at reducing colorectal cancer risk in polyp patients and their families.

Although all of the current guidelines for colorectal cancer screening describe the importance of a family history of cancer, they also include a family history of polyps as a risk factor for patients and doctors to be aware of. But we suspected that knowing about your family history of polyps is difficult, because there is a whole chain of communication that this information has to pass through: When patients are diagnosed with colon polyps (in particular, the kind called an “adenoma“), they need to be told about the polyps by their gastroenterologists. Then the patients need to tell their relatives. Then the relatives need to tell their own doctors. We had no idea if this communication was something that happened routinely, or if there were breaks in the communication chain. So we set out to ask patients who had polyps what they were told by their doctors and whether they in turn told their family members.

What did you find out through your research on communication about colorectal polyps?

Our most interesting finding was that very few patients with polyps reported that their doctors told them to share that information with their family members. We also found that most patients with polyps didn’t tell all their siblings about their colonoscopies, though women were more likely than men to tell all their siblings and people with family histories of colon cancer were also more likely to tell their siblings.

Based on your research, what recommendations do you have for patients undergoing a colonoscopy?

Always ask for a copy of your colonoscopy report, including the pathology reports from any biopsies that were taken. Sometimes the doctor performing the colonoscopy will remove polyps during the procedure, but the type of polyp cannot be known until the pathology report is issued. Many people thought they had polyps removed, but then the pathology report found that what looked like a polyp was just normal colon tissue. We recommend that people with adenomas tell their brothers and sisters about those polyps, especially if there is a family history of colon cancer. If several people in the same family have had colon cancer and/or colon adenomas, they can consider asking for a referral to a cancer genetics clinic to see if genetic testing makes sense for their family.

How did receiving a Prevent Cancer Foundation grant impact your research?

It’s challenging to find funding for research in the area of patient-physician communication, or to do research that involves surveys. My colleagues and I are so grateful for the funding from the Prevent Cancer Foundation, because it enabled us to get a really good understanding of these communication issues. Since colorectal cancer is one of the few cancers that can be detected at an early stage, or prevented altogether, it is critically important for people to communicate openly with their doctors and family members so that they can get the right test at the right age. We are now working to develop some new and innovative tools to help with this complicated chain of communication and would not have been able to move forward without the funding from the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

]]> http://blog.preventcancer.org/2012/researcher-examines-the-importance-of-communication-in-colorectal-cancer-prevention-and-early-detection/feed/ 0 Researcher Q&A: Talking with Surbhi Jain, PhD Part II http://blog.preventcancer.org/2012/researcher-qa-talking-with-surbhi-jain-phd-part-ii/ http://blog.preventcancer.org/2012/researcher-qa-talking-with-surbhi-jain-phd-part-ii/#comments Tue, 16 Oct 2012 21:15:28 +0000 Jim http://blog.preventcancer.org/?p=8194 Editor’s Note: This is the second part of a two-part article about Dr. Jain’s research. Read Part I of Dr. Jain’s Research Q&A.

Surbhi Jain, PhD, is postdoctoral researcher at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. One of her major research goals is to develop a reliable non-invasive method for the early detection of liver cancer. Dr. Jain credits the Prevent Cancer Foundation with helping her work towards this goal by “motivating [her] to work hard with confidence…”

3. Why is it important to fund research in the field of cancer prevention and early detection?

Success in the treatment of individuals with cancer often depends upon early detection.  The earlier a tumor is detected, the better the prognosis.  The survival rates drop dramatically as the stage of cancer progresses. Not only does the treatment become increasingly complex and agonizing for the patient, but it is also a drain on personal financial and national economic resources. More research and work needs to be done for particularly aggressive cancers such as liver cancer and pancreatic cancer for which early detection is the only key to survival.

The screening tests that are developed also need to be patient-friendly. For example, in spite of having colonoscopy as a good screening test for colon cancer, the screening rate is lower than desired due to the inherent discomfort associated with the procedure.  There is an urgent need to develop “non-invasive” tests for early detection of cancer in order to have better screening rates.

Cancer treatment is moving towards personalized medicine. Thus knowing the genetic makeup of the tumor “non-invasively” and at an early stage is extremely crucial for effective treatment. To fully benefit from this new wave of personalized medicine, there is an imminent need for non-invasive research in early detection of tumor presence and its genetic makeup.

4. How did receiving a Prevent Cancer Foundation grant impact your research?

The Prevent Cancer Foundation fellowship has motivated me to work hard with confidence in this project’s great potential to detect cancer early with a non-invasive urine genetic test.

This study has resulted in key discovery of liver-specific methylation patterns and the identification of liver- cancer specific methylated CpG sites. This information is extremely vital for a successful assay design of a urine-based test. The study provides proof of concept that it is feasible to develop a urine test that can pick up tumor signatures from the liver (and, by extension, from any tumor in the body) with sufficient sensitivity and specificity to be used as a screening test for early detection of cancer. The information obtained from this study has provided preliminary data for multiple grants in the field of liver cancer research. The technology developed towards designing these assays can be used as a platform technology to detect essentially any cancer in the body, because all tumors dump their apoptotic DNA into circulating blood.

This funding has contributed tremendously towards my professional growth. I have co-authored 5 publications (two as first author and one as co-corresponding author), presented at the 2012 International Symposium on Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, and completed a certificate course in Biostatistics as a direct result of this highly regarded fellowship.

Three years ago, I got introduced to the field of cancer prevention, and it is so promising that I can see myself working in this arena long term. I want to thank Prevent Cancer Foundation for providing me with this wonderful opportunity.

 

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