Science Article
February 6, 2003
By KRISTEN WOODWARD
Many people start the New Year with well-intentioned resolutions that by mid-February often seem as stale and unappealing as the holiday cookie crumbs hiding under their couch cushions.
Those seeking a little extra incentive to get off the couch and still make a difference in 2003 might consider volunteering to support or participate in center research.
Opportunities range from providing practical and social support to cancer patients and their families - from transporting them to and from the airport to offering companionship through visits and social outings - to participating in cancer-prevention research studies.
Prevention studies
Several prevention studies are seeking healthy, local participants. They include an exercise study to assess the effect of physical activity on colon-cancer risk, food studies to help determine how fruits and vegetables may influence the body's cancer-fighting ability, and drug studies that evaluate the potential of various cancer-prevention agents.
In addition to the satisfaction of helping in the fight against cancer, the side benefits of participating in prevention research - depending on the study - could include working out for a year at a state-of-the-art exercise facility under the guidance of an exercise specialist, receiving a month of free prepared meals, getting free cancer screenings and earning some extra cash.
"For many, Fred Hutchinson is synonymous with advancements in cancer treatment such as the bone-marrow transplant," said Dr. Lee Hartwell, center president and director.
"But there is another important type of world-class research conducted at Fred Hutchinson: cancer-prevention research. This is one area of the cancer fight in which nearly anyone and everyone can participate."
The Public Health Sciences Division, largest of the center's four scientific domains, is home to the nation's oldest and largest program devoted to cancer-prevention research. Using populations as their "laboratory," public-health researchers look for links between cancer and its possible triggers, from diet and lifestyle to environmental and genetic factors. Identifying such cancer causes can lead to better cancer-detection methods and new ways to help people adopt healthier lifestyles to minimize or avoid their risk of getting the disease.
Lifestyle changes
Dr. John Potter, an international expert on cancer causes and prevention, heads the division, which was established in 1983.
"It is estimated that as much as 60 percent of all cancers could be prevented through simple lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, watching your weight, eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, and exercising regularly," he said. "It also is important to get screened regularly for cervical, breast and colorectal cancer (via Pap smears, mammograms and sigmoidoscopy, respectively) to ensure that any cancers that do develop in these organs are caught early."
APPEAL
The purpose of the APPEAL study, which stands for "A Program Promoting Exercise and Active Lifestyles," is to examine the effect of exercise on markers of colon-cancer risk. Funded by the NCI, it is the first study of its kind to look at how a program of regular exercise may lower certain risk factors of colon cancer. Participants will have an opportunity to exercise at a state-of-the-art fitness facility under the guidance of an exercise specialist.
DIGEST
The Dietary Influences on Glucuronidation (DIGEST) study, funded by the NCI, is one of two studies being conducted at Fred Hutchinson that seek to determine how the interplay of genes and diet - in particular, a diet rich in plant compounds - may affect the function of the body's detoxifying machinery. A subset of participants in DIGEST will be asked to complete a month-long feeding study during which Fred Hutchinson will provide all meals.
STAR
The Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) is a national breast-cancer prevention study, conducted locally at the center and five satellite sites, to determine whether the osteoporosis drug raloxifene is as effective as tamoxifen in reducing breast-cancer risk. This National Cancer Institute-funded initiative seeks to enroll 11,000 participants.
SELECT Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial
The primary objective of this National Cancer Institute-funded study, a 12-year initiative that will involve 32,400 men in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, is to determine whether vitamin E and the trace element selenium can protect men against prostate cancer.
Breast-gel study
This study, funded by Besins International U.S., Inc., asks whether a tamoxifen-based gel, when applied to the breasts daily for six months, decreases breast density - a cancer-risk factor - in premenopausal women.
Northwest Cancer Genetics Network
Part of a national registry funded by the National Cancer Institute, the network has been set up to help researchers answer important questions about inherited cancer risks. Participation involves completing a 15- to 20-minute telephone interview and being re-contacted periodically for updates. The information will be collected from people at all levels of cancer risk and entered into a confidential database. Participants receive a newsletter with updates on the latest developments in cancer research and information about studies for which they are eligible to participate.
Ovarian Cancer Early Detection study
This nationwide, multi-center study of women with a strong family history of ovarian cancer, funded by the National Cancer Institute, investigates whether a blood test known as CA125 (a biomarker, or chemical, found in the blood) is useful for early detection of ovarian cancer among women at increased risk for the disease. The advantages of participating in this study include having one's gynecological health closely monitored.
