May 5, 2022
Research study will inform the future of cancer prevention
Connect for Cancer Prevention Study’s goal to recruit 200,000 participants will include 13,000 members from Kaiser Permanente in Georgia.
ATLANTA — Kaiser Permanente in Georgia has started recruitment for the National Cancer Institute Connect for Cancer Prevention Study, known as Connect. Connect is designed to explore the causes of cancer and learn more about how to prevent it. Kaiser Permanente is 1 of 9 health care organizations across the country participating in this cutting-edge research. Together, these health care organizations and the NCI seek to recruit 200,000 eligible adults over the next 5 years to participate in the study.
“We aim to recruit 13,000 Kaiser Permanente members who are between the ages of 40 and 65 and who have no history of cancer to participate in this important study,” said Jennifer Gander, PhD, clinical epidemiologist and investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Center for Research and Evaluation in Georgia. “Approximately 40% of men and women will develop cancer in their lifetime. The Connect for Cancer Prevention Study will help us better understand what causes cancer so fewer people will get it.”
Connect is a long-term study. It takes time to understand the causes of cancer, so participants are asked to take part in the study for several years. They will be asked to complete online health surveys a few times a year and to donate samples of blood, urine, and saliva every 2 to 3 years. Safeguards for privacy and confidentiality will be in place to protect participants’ data and biological samples.
Connect will explore novel and emerging exposures that may affect cancer risk. This study will change the future of cancer prevention. Montserrat Garcia-Closas, MD
“Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the U.S. While much progress in treatments has been made, the number of people who will develop cancer is expected to rise in the next 10 years as the population ages and lifestyles and behaviors change,” said Stephen J. Chanock, MD, director of NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. “Connect will explore novel and emerging exposures that may affect cancer risk. This study will change the future of cancer prevention,” added Montserrat Garcia-Closas, MD, deputy director of NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics and Connect principal investigator.
Through Connect, NCI researchers hope to identify factors that could affect cancer risk and other health outcomes. These findings have the potential to influence public health and cancer prevention guidance for years to come. Participants in Connect will be a part of a community representing diverse places and backgrounds to ensure everyone can benefit from the discoveries.
To learn more about the Connect for Cancer Prevention Study, visit cancer.gov/connectstudy.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.
