Cancer Prevention and Control Program

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The goal of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) Cancer Prevention and Control Program is to improve the understanding of cancer risk factors, improve cancer detection and improve outcomes in cancer patients to reduce cancer burden in the population. To accomplish this goal, the Program is organized around three specific aims across the cancer control continuum and uses population, translational and basic cancer prevention sciences approaches: 1) to discover cancer risk factors and to develop and test primary prevention strategies to mitigate their impact in the catchment area and beyond; 2) to evaluate the clinical and public health implementation of genomic and other tools to enable early detection of cancers and their precursors in populations; and 3) to develop and test intervention strategies to intercept precancer or mitigate the sequelae of cancer in survivors. By liaising with Community Outreach and Engagement, we prioritize research areas and disseminate findings throughout our catchment area and beyond. The Program's portfolio of research directly addresses the major cancer problems in the SKCCC catchment area and elsewhere. Special emphasis is placed on racial and other disparities in cancer burden, and cancers in other key catchment area populations, particularly those living with HIV. Led by Alison Klein, Ph.D.; Elizabeth Platz, Sc.D.; and Richard Roden, Ph.D., the Program consists of 41 Full Members, 33 of whom have peer-reviewed funding, and an additional 14 Associate Members. The Program has Members with appointments in 16 departments and three schools. Total direct cancer-relevant, peer-reviewed funding is $12.9 million, with $6.9 million from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The total number of Program publications is 930, of which 183 (19.7%) are Intra-Programmatic and 314 (33.8%) are Inter-Programmatic. Of these publications, 654 (70.3%) are multi-institutional collaborations. 18.3% are in journals with an impact factor ≥10, and 5.7% have an impact factor ≥25. The Program has led to practice-changing, paradigm-shifting and policy-altering research, including discovering links between periodontal disease and cancer; testing a blood-based early detection tool, DETECT-A, in 10,000 cancer-free women; developing and testing therapeutic HPV vaccines; and creating and evaluating the use of a multiparameter test for management of pancreatic cysts. We uncovered the impact of social determinants of health, including financial toxicity, on cancer survivors and conducted interventional studies for lifestyle factors, such as obesity and smoking, that contribute to poor health and disparities in cancer survivorship. These efforts reflect our research mission to inform population-based cancer prevention and control at the local, state, national and international levels. Program Leaders promote and organize Intra- and Inter-Programmatic research collaborations to enable appropriate and efficient translation of promising, novel cancer prevention and control measures, and to secure funding from multiproject grants, such as the Gastrointestinal and Cervical Cancer SPOREs.