Local residents are being invited to participate in a major cancer research study that could help lead to breakthroughs toward the disease for years to come.
The American Cancer Society’s Epidemiology Research Program is looking to enroll at least 300,000 adults for its Cancer Prevention Study 3. Officials say the study, which follows participants over the course of two decades, will help lay the groundwork to better understand the factors that cause and prevent cancer.
The American Cancer Society has set up dozens of recruiting sites across the nation, including four in Aurora. The University of Colorado Cancer Center, for instance, will host sites on Sept. 12 and 13, according to officials.
“We expect to enroll people who work here or just members of the general public,” said Tim Byers, associate director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center. “I think it’s just a way for people to give back in some way to future discoveries that might lead to new ways that we can prevent cancer.”
The Cancer Society produced significant data from the previous two studies, dubbed Study 1 and Study 2. The first study, which was conducted in the 1960s, helped confirm a direct link between cancer and tobacco use, Byers said.
The second study, which was launched in the 1980s, found a link between cancer and obesity, he said. It also produced data that revealed the role aspirin can play in reducing certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer, Byers said.
Officials are looking for men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have no personal history of cancer. Each participant will be asked to fill out a questionnaire and give a blood sample.
Those who enroll in the study will be asked to periodically complete follow-up questionnaires. For more information, go to or call 1-888-604-5888.
Joey Kirchmer: 303-954-2650 or jkirchmer@denverpost.com
