From April 18 through May 9, the American Cancer Society will be sharing an unprecedented opportunity with L.A. County residents to change the face of cancer for future generations by enrolling in a historic long-term study. Three hundred thousand men and women, ages 30 to 65, who have never been diagnosed with cancer are needed to enroll in the Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) to help determine which genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors cause cancer.
The goal of the Cancer Prevention Study-3 is to eliminate cancer as a major health concern by examining what factors can cause cancer. The Cancer Society is looking to the Los Angeles community to join the fight.
To enroll, residents may schedule an appointment online or by phone for a local enrollment site.
Participants first fill out a survey at home, and upon completion receive a confirmation ID to bring to the appointment, which will take place between April 18 and May 9. While on site, participants will fill out a short survey, provide a waist measurement and a blood sample.
The blood sample will be stored securely, and will be used for analysis if cancer cases occur. The remaining commitment is very simple. Participants will receive a follow-up survey about their lifestyle habits for at least 20 years.
“What we really want the L.A. community to know is how important these studies are to help identify major factors that affect cancer risk,” said Alpha V. Patel, Ph.D., principal investigator of the study.
“We know now that smoking links to lung cancer, but we wouldn’t know this without the commitment of individuals that participated in Cancer Prevention Studies 1 and 2. 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,” Patel added.
L.A. County residents can choose from several community enrollment sites. Information about local sites and to make an appointment can be done by visiting www.cps3la.org or by calling 1.888.604.8888.
