Lexington, KY - The St. Joseph Cancer Center (part of KentuckyOne Health) and the YMCA of Central Kentucky are the Kentucky partners as the American Cancer Society launches a major national study aimed at discovering ways to prevent cancer.
Announced Monday at St. Joseph Hospital, the goal of the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), is to discover how lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors may cause or prevent cancer.
To meet that objective, 300,000 volunteers across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico are needed as participants. Enrollment will take place at eight locations throughout Kentucky from August 7-11, 2012.
Created by epidemiologists at the American Cancer Society, this study, which builds on earlier ACS studies, is expected to be a landmark for the information it provides. Like the famous New England "Nurses Study," this project will be ongoing with participants tracked for at least 20 years.
While every region of the U.S. is covered, not every state will be included. Kentucky was selected because even though it is not a heavily-populated state, the commonwealth has a disproportionate high number of cancer cases.
Ayron Corbitt, Kentucky Vice President of the American Cancer Society, provided some sad statistics during the announcement of the upcoming study: this year alone, more than 25,100 Kentuckians will be diagnosed with cancer. Over 9,800 of them will die this year.
Lexington Mayor Jim Gray told the audience of medical and media people and hospital visitors that people often stop and ask him "what can I do to help?" That question "reflects the giving spirit our city represents," he said.
"Today we're answering that question, when it comes to cancer and its challenges. That answer is to participate in the CPS-3 study," Gray said. "Here in Kentucky our cancer rates are far too high."
Lexingtonian Mina Boyd, a survivor of the disease who lost both parents to preventable cancers, said, "This study could change the face of cancer." She urged her listeners not only to participate in the study, but to urge their friends to do so, too.
Dr. Dan Varga, Chief Physician for KentuckyOne Health (of which Lexington's two St. Joseph Hospitals are a part), said that the healthcare organization is "thrilled to be a part of history in the making."
Citing the geographic range of the network's healthcare facilities, Varga said, "KentuckyOne Health is a strong believer in delivering care where people are. That's more important in cancer than in any other disease, for preventive services and ongoing treatment."
One reason for Kentucky's high prevalence of cancer is a lack of access to primary care that would provide the early diagnosis necessary for successful treatment. Varga said that a 2007 study by the Kentucky Medical Association showed the state was underserved by 2,300 doctors.
"That figure was predicted to reach 3,000 by 2020," he added.
Melissa Bellew, Director of Member and Wellness Initiatives at the North Lexington Family YMCA, spoke of the natural connection between her organization and people who care about their health.
As people go to the YMCA to enroll in the CPS-3 study, they might want to learn about the Y's general programs which promote health. They might also want to know about specialized YMCA programs for people who have diabetes or other health problems.
The Cancer Prevention Study-3 is open to anyone who:
is between 30 and 65 years old
has never been diagnosed with cancer (except for basal or squamous cell skin cancer)
will commit to completing follow up surveys at home for years to come
It's critical to the study that participants be people who have never had cancer. That is because once a person has had the disease, his body has been affected by it, the treatment and/or lifestyle changes. Blood factors may also be altered due to treatment.
Study volunteers should first check http://cps3kentucky.org to schedule their enrollment appointment by clicking on the preferred location from among those listed. In Lexington, enrollment will take place at both St. Joseph hospitals on August 9 and at the YMCA North on West Loudon Avenue on August 11.
Study participants will sign an informed consent form and fill out a survey packet that asks about their lifestyles and other health matters. To save time they can fill out the survey before visiting the enrollment center. Alternatively they can ask at the center to have the survey emailed to them for later return.
Participants' height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate and waist circumference will be measured. Then a certified phlebotomist will draw a small blood sample.
The blood samples will be frozen and stored in a secured biorepository facility. Samples will be analyzed whenever participants develop any type of cancer. They can reveal how hormones, vitamins, chemicals, metals, nutrients and genetic factors may be related to the risk of developing cancer, possibly even particular types of cancer.
Besides the periodic follow up surveys, participants will receive an annual newsletter with study updates and results. These results will also be published in scientific journals and posted on the American Cancer Society website.
To learn more about risk factors, diagnosis and treatment for cancer contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or see the ACS website, www.cancer.org.