• The American Cancer Society is the largest source of private, not-for-profit cancer research funds in the United States, second only to the federal government in total dollars spent. The Society spent about $148 million on cancer research in FY 2008.

• Since 1946, the Society has invested about $3.4 billion in cancer research. The research program consists of 3 components: extramural grants, intramural epidemiology and surveillance research, and the intramural behavioral research center.

The extramural program supports investigator-initiated projects taking place in leading centers across the country, as well as training grants in selected health professions. Applications for grants are subjected to a rigorous external peer review, which ensures that only the highest quality applications receive funding. The success of the Society's research program is exemplified by the fact that 44 Nobel Prize winners received grant support from the Society, usually early in their careers.

Epidemiology and Surveillance Intramural

Intramural epidemiologic research at the Society publishes descriptive information about trends in cancer incidence, cancer mortality, cancer risk factors, and cancer patient care, and studies the causes and prevention of cancer in large prospective studies. Since 1998, the department has collaborated with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- including the National Center for Health Statistics - to produce the Report to the Nation on progress related to cancer prevention and control in the United States. Internationally, the department collaborates with the World Health Organization to publish tobacco control country profiles, plus a monograph on tobacco consumption, production, and trade in 197 countries. The department also analyzes patterns of cancer causation in large prospective studies. Three such studies have been undertaken over the past 55 years and one additional study, CPS-3, began in 2006:

• Hammond-Horn (188,000 men studied from 1952-1955)
• Cancer Prevention Study I (1 million people studied from 1959-1972 in 25 states)
• Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS II, a continuing study of 1.2 million people enrolled in 1982 by 77,000 volunteers in 50 states)
• Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3, now recruiting 500,000 people to participate in this continuing study mainly through Relay for Life throughout the United States)

Nearly 400 scientific publications from these studies have examined the contribution of lifestyle (smoking, nutrition, obesity, etc.), family history, illnesses, medications, and environmental exposures to various cancers. Of particular interest is how diet, changes in diet, and physical activity affect cancer. Follow-up of all CPS-II cohort members continues. In addition, cancer incidence follow-up and periodic updating of exposure information occurs in the CPS-II Nutrition Cohort, a subgroup of 184,000 men and women.

Since 1998, another component of CPS II, LifeLink, has obtained blood and buccal (cheek) cell samples from approximately 100,000 members of the CPS-II Nutritional Cohort. These samples are being stored for future studies of nutritional, hormonal, and genetic factors in relations to cancer and other diseases.

Behavioral Research Center (BRC)

The Center was established in 1995 to conduct original behavioral and psychosocial cancer research, provide consultation to other parts of the Society, and facilitate the transfer of behavioral and psychosocial research and theory to improve cancer control policies.

Among the ongoing research projects of the Center are:

• An extensive nationwide, longitudinal study of adult cancer survivors to determine the unmet psychosocial needs of survivors and their significant others, to identify factors that affect their quality of life, to evaluate programs intended to meet their needs, and to examine late effects, including second cancers.

• A cross-sectional national study of cancer survivors who are 2, 5, and 10 years from their initial diagnosis and treatment. This study will evaluate the psychological needs, adjustment, and quality of life of cancer survivors and provide information now on longer-term cancer survivors.

• A Family Caregiver Study to explore the impact of the family's involvement in cancer care on the quality of life of the cancer survivor and the family caregiver. This study will identify the prevalence of the family's involvement in cancer care, identify unmet needs of caregivers at 2 and 5 years after diagnosis, and examine the impact of the caregiving on the quality of life and health behaviors of the caregiver.

• An analysis of data from the health-related quality-of-life surveys that are conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration or HCFA) that are being provided to the BRC. These data are being analyzed to examine changes in the quality of life of cancer survivors who receive Medicare-managed care.

• A study to test the Patient/Provider/System Theoretical Model (PPSTM) for cancer screening in federally funded primary care centers, which provide care for many underserved populations. Through partnership with researchers from the National Center for Primary Care, this project seeks to identify factors that influence screening behaviors (patients) and screening recommendations (providers, health care system).

• A pilot study of cancer knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and risk perceptions among college students. Through partnerships with selected historically Black colleges and universities and faculty liaisons, this study aims to gather baseline information from students and campus health centers. The long-term goal of this program of research is to enhance knowledge and awareness of cancer risk reduction strategies and early detection.

• Research to investigate the ethnic disparity in physical activity from a theory of planned behavior perspective, with the objective of providing information needed to develop ethnic-specific exercise interventions to increase physical activity and help reduce cancer risk.

• Research to explore sedentary behavior patterns in an obese population. The objective is to identify key determinants of this population's behavior in order to increase its physical activity and reduce its cancer risk.

• A study of the use of complementary therapies by breast and prostate cancer survivors, as well as a corresponding survey of physicians who treat cancer patients. The physicians' survey will explore physician/patient communications about complementary therapies.

• A study of the effect of acupuncture on quality of life in ambulatory cancer patients at the end of life. This study is being conducted in collaboration with the Zakin Center for Integrated Therapies at the Dana Farber Cancer Center.

• In collaboration with the Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence located at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, GA, research on factors affecting adherence to cancer treatment of women diagnosed with breast cancer.

The BRC has maintained a priority for contributing to the scientific literature on behavioral and psychosocial aspects of cancer. In 2004/2005, 12 articles were published in peer-reviewed journals by BRC staff members.

Statistics and Evaluation Center (SEC)

In August 2005, the American Cancer Society inaugurated the Statistics and Evaluation Center (SEC), a shared resource that provides consultation to investigators in the research department, health promotions experts at the National Home Office, and mission delivery staff throughout the Society. The SEC has 3 main responsibilities:

• to assist Society researchers in the design, analysis, and preparation of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals

• to function as part of the Society team that evaluates selected mission delivery interventions

• to conduct methods research on cancer-related problems for publication in peer-reviewed journals

Center researchers engage in original research on predictive modeling for cancer control and advocacy, and in developing optimal and ethical cancer study designs that minimize the required number of patients to be accrued for the study. The group also provides design and analysis support for the Behavioral Research Center quality of life research, for optimization testing and deriving best practices by Society on-line team and E-Communications, for tobacco control and the National Cancer Information Cancer/Quitline^®, including clinical trials design and analysis, operational improvements, and employer initiative activities with Health Promotions; and predictive modeling for income development planned giving.

The Center provides statistical, methodological, and survey consultative services to the National Home Office and the Divisions. Staff from both Health Promotions and the SEC forms what is called the Integrated Evaluation Team. The Integrated Evaluation Team drives several projects, including the following:

• Working with Society stakeholders to evaluate the Society’s survivorship programs, taking responsibility for on-going program quality improvement evaluations. As appropriate, members of the Behavioral Research Center are involved with these evaluations.

• Working with Divisions to design evaluations and/or manage the data associated with Division-designed and conducted program evaluations.

• Working with the intramural department of Epidemiology and Surveillance Research to establish Society policy for dealing with environmental chemicals that are or might be carcinogenic.

• Working with Cancer Control Science and others to develop mathematical models of the anatomy and physiology of various cancers (lung, breast, and colorectal), how cancer prevention may be related to heart disease and diabetes, and what are probable outcomes in terms of reduced cancer incidence and lives saved if various prevention opportunities are implemented.

• Working with a wide range of other groups, including Employer Initiatives, Constituent Relations Management, E-Revenue, Mass Market Constituent Relations Management, National Cancer Information Center/Quitline, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Talent Management Initiative, Human Relations, Office of the Chief Diversity Officer, Online Team, Extramural Grants, and the National Government Relations Department.

The SEC remains committed to enhancing the quality and efficiency of stakeholder programs throughout the American Cancer Society.

Last Revised: 08/25/2008