Gwinnett County Residents Called to Contribute To American Cancer Society’s Historic Cancer Research

Community Involvement Can Answer Critical Questions about Cancer Causes, Prevention

DULUTH, GA (February 28, 2011) – Residents of Gwinnett County have an unprecedented opportunity to participate in a historic study that has the potential to change the face of cancer for future generations. Men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer are needed to participate in the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). CPS-3 will enroll a diverse population of up to half a million people across the United States and Puerto Rico.

Residents of Gwinnett County can enroll in CPS 3 at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Building, John D. Stephens Education Center, 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 260, Duluth 30097, on Thursday, March 24 from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; Tuesday, March 29, from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; and Wednesday, March 30 from 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CPS-3 will help researchers better understand the lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer.

"My mom is a two-time cancer survivor, and I'm doing all I can to make sure my children don't have to say that…. I really believe this (CPS-3) is part of the answer," a study participant said.

CPS3 is one of several American Cancer Society activities taking place across metro Atlanta this spring, including Relay For Life of Gwinnett County on Friday, May 6, at he Gwinnett Fairgrounds. Relay For Life is the Society's signature event, taking place in more than 5,000 communities nationwide and around the world. The Gwinnett Relay is the largest Relay in the world, attracting more than 10,000 people, including 2,000 cancer survivors, and raising $2.5 million. Information on Relay in Gwinnett is www.garelayforlife.org.

To enroll in CPS3, individuals will be asked to read and sign an informed consent form; complete a comprehensive survey packet that asks for information on lifestyle, behavorial, and other factors related to your health; have your height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and waist circumference measured; and give a small blood sample. Upon completion of this process, the Society will send periodic follow-up surveys to update your information and annual newsletters with study updates and results. The in-person enrollment process takes approximately an hour to complete. Periodic follow-up surveys of various lengths are expected to be sent every few years to individuals.

"Many individuals diagnosed with cancer struggle to answer the question, 'What caused my cancer?' In many cases, we don't know the answer," said Alpa V. Patel, Ph.D., principal investigator of CPS-3. "CPS-3 will help us better understand what factors cause cancer, and once we know that, we can be better equipped to prevent cancer." Dr. Patel added, "Our previous cancer prevention studies have been instrumental in helping us identify some of the major factors that can affect cancer risk. CPS-3 holds the best hope of identifying new and emerging cancer risks, and we can only do this if members of the community are willing to become involved."

Researchers will use the data from CPS-3 to build on evidence from a series of American Cancer Society studies that began in the 1950s that collectively have involved millions of volunteer participants. The Hammond-Horn Study and previous Cancer Prevention Studies (CPS-I, and CPS-II) have played a major role in understanding cancer prevention and risk, and have contributed significantly to the scientific basis and development of public health guidelines and recommendations. Those studies confirmed the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, demonstrated the link between larger waist size and increased death rates from cancer and other causes, and showed the considerable impact of air pollution on heart and lung conditions. The current study, CPS-II, began in 1982 and is still ongoing. But changes in lifestyle and in the understanding of cancer in the more than two decades since its launch make it important to begin a new study.

The voluntary, long-term commitment by participants is what will produce benefits for decades to come. "Taking an hour or so every few years to fill out a survey – and potentially save someone from being diagnosed with cancer in the future - is a commitment that thousands of volunteer participants have already made. We're looking for more like-minded individuals in Gwinnett to join this effort that we know will save lives and improve the outlook for future generations," said Dr. Patel.

For more information or to learn how to become involved with CPS-3, visit cancer.org/cps3, email cps3@cancer org, or call toll-free 1-888-604-5888. To register for CPS-3 visit seeuthere.com/cps3enroll/Austin.

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation's largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.