Dr. Gary Schwartz is submitting a grant proposal to examine cadmium and pancreatic cancer etiology. The results of these studies will provide guidance in the development of intervention studies as described below. Similarly, if the current Phase II study examining soy and markers of prostate cancer shows a protective effect, a Phase III study will be proposed. Additionally, Dr. Gretchen Kimmick is conducting a pilot study on soy and markers of breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women. If soy has a protective effect on markers of breast cancer risk, a Phase III randomized study will be proposed.
Tobacco control is another area of growth for our program.
Preliminary anecdotal reports from an ongoing breast cancer screening study among rural women indicate that white rural women still resist educational interventions to receive mammograms. Pilot studies to more fully understand barriers to screening must be conducted, followed by testing of specifically designed interventions. Survivorship - This is an area for potential growth in the Cancer Control Program. The results of the ongoing observational study among long-term breast cancer survivors will generate areas for the development and testing of intervention studies. In addition, if this methodology of using cohorts of survivors from cooperative group treatment trials to examine issues long-term survivor's face and test interventions, proves to be feasible, other cancer survivor populations can be included in similar studies.