West Michigan residents are being asked by the American Cancer Society to do something simple: help improve the health of the next generation. One short appointment and some paperwork, and you could help save lives decades down the road.
It’s called Cancer Prevention Study-3, or CPS-3. It’s currently the largest cancer prevention study of its kind in the nation, and it will help researchers better understand the lifestyle, genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors that cause or prevent cancer.
Why is it such a big deal? Consider this: Cancer Prevention Study-1, which began in 1959, unlocked the link between smoking and cancer.
“The American Cancer Society is enrolling three hundred thousand people across the country in the study, and this November will be the final opportunity for residents living in West Michigan to join,” said Kyle Cutler, senior representative for community engagement at the American Cancer Society.
The American Cancer Society is looking for men and women between the ages of thirty and sixty-five, from various racial and ethnic backgrounds, who have never been diagnosed with cancer. Anyone matching those requirements can sign up.
Participants are asked to provide a waist measurement, give a small blood sample, and complete a comprehensive survey.
“We will follow the population for at least the next twenty to thirty years, which sounds daunting, but it’s actually not that much of a time commitment,” Cutler said. “The appointment only takes about thirty minutes, and then every two to three years individuals will fill out a very brief follow-up survey at home.”
There are five locations around West Michigan where people can enroll:
Davenport University
November 5, 2-5:30 p.m.
643 S. Waverly, Holland
Cascade Engineering
November 12, 2:30-6 p.m.
3400 Innovation Circle, Grand Rapids
David D. Hunting YMCA
November 13, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
475 Lake Michigan Dr., Grand Rapids
Spartan Stores YMCA
November 14, 2-5:30 p.m.
5722 Metro Way, Wyoming
Lacks Enterprises
November 20, 2:30-6 p.m.
4090 Barden St. SE, Kentwood
Some key findings have come from studies like this one: Previous studies discovered aspirin use can lower the risk of colon cancer. Studies also proved the impact of air pollution on heart and lung conditions, which prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to toughen air pollution guidelines. Most recently, researchers from the American Cancer Society have found through CPS-II that walking at least seven hours per week is associated with a fourteen percent lower risk of developing breast cancer after menopause.
For more information or to make an appointment, please call 888-604-5888 or visit cancer.org/WestMIcps3.
Source: Evelyn Barella, American Cancer Society, Inc.
