Offers a Passport to Cancer Prevention and Cures
In 2007 alone, more than 1.4 million people in the United States were diagnosed with cancer, and more than 559,000 died from the disease. Striving to curb these devastating numbers through better prevention and cures, the American Cancer Society’s Department of Epidemiology and Surveillance Research is recruiting 500,000 adults across the United States and Puerto Rico for a new cancer study.
Named the Cancer Prevention Study, or “CPS-3,” the research project is aimed at better identifying the genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that cause or prevent the disease. Fortunately for our community, the CPS-3 program will be coming to Relay For Life at Central Park in Saugus on May 31, with sign-ups taking place from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
If you are between the ages of 30 and 65, have never been diagnosed with cancer (not including basal or squamous cell skin cancer) and are willing to make a commitment to the long-term study program (which simply involves completing periodic two-year follow-up surveys), then please consider joining this important research project.
Eligible participants will be asked to complete a small survey, provide a waist measurement, and give a small blood sample (taken by a trained, certified phlebotomist).
All together, everything will “cost” you a scant 30 minutes during sign-up. That’s a small block of one’s time – but quite possibly a huge investment for the future.
Key findings discovered by previous ACS follow-up studies include:
• First to show the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.
• First to show the significant impact of obesity on risk of dying from cancer.
• First to show the link between aspirin use and lower risk of colon cancer.
• The demonstrated impact of physical activity, diet, hormone use, other medications and vitamins, and various other factors in relation to cancer risk.
• The substantial impact of air pollution on heart and lung condition, which motivated the Environmental Protection Agency to propose more stringent limits on air pollution.
“This is a historic opportunity for our community to play a role in helping to prevent cancer, our way of fighting back against the disease – imagine the impact you can make by simply giving 30 minutes of your time!” said Candy Spahr, who along with Teresa Kerr and John Forman is tri-chairing this year’s Relay For Life.
For more information about Relay For Life go online to www.scvrelay.org or call the American Cancer Society SCV Unit at 661-298-0886 option 3. For more information on CPS-3 study and discover how you can be part of the cancer solution, contact Donna Ashmore at newdawn5@ca.rr.com or call the American Cancer Society SCV Unit at 661-298-0886 option 3. You may also go online to www.cancer.org