The Epidemiology
and Genetics Team is involved in studies on breast
and colon cancer genetics, cervical neoplasia and human
papillomavirus (HPV), the aetiology of childhood cancers
and leukaemias, and the epidemiology and treatment of mesothelioma.
The Aetiological
Epidemiology Team is conducting studies on the
long-term effects of chronic diseases and their treatments
and the effects of ionising and non-ionising radiation,
the aetiology of breast cancer, brain tumours and leukaemia,
and is also initiating several studies on cancer genetics.
Our genetic studies are carried out in collaboration with
Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre,
the Section of Cancer Genetics and the Academic Department
of Biochemistry. Several of our studies are being conducted
in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene &
Tropical Medicine, where Professor Peto holds a joint appointment
and Professor Swerdlow a visiting appointment. The Department
of Health Cancer Screening Evaluation
Unit, which is attached to the Section but funded independently,
conducts studies on the efficacy of screening for breast,
cervical, prostate and colorectal cancers. The Clinical
Trials and Statistics Unit's national and international
cancer treatment trials are conducted in collaboration with
oncologists in the Radiotherapy Department, the Breast Unit
and the Skin Cancer and Melanoma Unit.
The
Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit became an independent
research section in January 2004
Highlights
of 2003
Recruitment targets
were met or exceeded in the TACT adjuvant breast cancer
treatment trial, the ARTISTIC HPV screening trial, and the
British Study of Contralateral Breast Cancer. Several major
studies on cancer genetics were initiated, including familial
studies in breast and colorectal cancer. The Cancer Screening
Evaluation Unit received funding to analyse the data from
the European randomised controlled screening trial of prostate
cancer, and the Unit has also set up two large cohort studies
investigating the effects of the national programmes for
breast and cervical cancer
Future
aims
Our future aims include:
-
Identifying low-penetrance cancer genes through family
studies, using phenotypic markers of susceptibility
such as breast density;
-
estimating the frequency in the
general population of genes predisposing to breast and
colon cancer, their contribution to overall cancer incidence
and their interaction with environmental risk factors;
- Investigating the environmental, behavioural and genetic
aetiology of breast cancer;
- Investigating factors leading to risk of second malignancy;
-
evaluating the efficacy of the cancer screening programme
and testing new screening methods through population-based
studies and randomised trials;
-
elucidating patterns of environmental
and occupational asbestos exposure in the UK in relation
to current and future risk of mesothelioma;
-
Developing and increasing recruitment
to national randomised trials of cancer treatment.
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Staff Contacts
Publications
Jobs
Highlights of 2003
Future aims
Aetiological
Epidemiology Team
Cancer
Screening Evaluation Unit
Clinical
Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU)
Epidemiology
and Genetics Team
Last
Updated:
August 4, 2005
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