Western Pennsylvanians Sought for National Cancer Prevention Study

The American Cancer Society plans a kick-off event tonight to recruit Western Pennsylvanians who are interested in participating in a historic nationwide study of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that cause or prevent cancer.

The goal is to identify 100 community champions who each will recruit at least 10 others from communities in Western Pennsylvania to enroll in the Cancer Prevention Study-3. Registration begins at 6 p.m., and a one-hour program begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Wintergarden Room at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh's Friendship neighborhood.

Participants will receive information they will need to educate others in their communities about the study and how to make an appointment to enroll in it between June 19-23. Enrollment will occur at sites in Peters Township, Monroeville, Tarentum and Pittsburgh's North Side and Friendship neighborhoods.

Planned speakers include: Pittsburgh City Councilman Corey O’Connor, Dr. James McCormick, chief of the colorectal surgery division at West Penn Hospital; Lori Stover, nurse manager in clinical research for the West Penn Allegheny Health System; and Teresa Segelson, senior health initiatives representative for the American Cancer Society.

To better understand the lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer, the society’s Department of Epidemiology & Surveillance Research is recruiting 300,000 adults across the United States and Puerto Rico for the prevention study.

Men and women who are willing to commit to the study must be between age 30-65 and never have been diagnosed with cancer. To enroll, individuals must provide a waist measurement, allow a small blood sample to be drawn and complete a baseline and enrollment survey.

Participants also will be asked to fill out follow-up surveys every few years for the next 20-30 years.

For more information, click here and here.