National Cancer Institute: What's New?

NCI names 15 consumer advocates new group
(12/10/97)
NCI has named 15 consumer advocates to the first ever Director's Consumer Liaison Group (DCLG). The DCLG will help develop programs, set research priorities, and find new ways to increase consumer representation at NCI. See Press Release, Backgrounder, and Creating the Director's Consumer Liaison Group.

Study to Estimate Iodine (I-131) Doses from Nuclear Fallout
Updated 10/1/97
Results of a study to estimate thyroid doses of Iodine-131 received by individuals from fallout of the Nevada atmospheric nuclear bombs are being released by the National Cancer Institute. Materials curently available include:

Press Release on NCI Fallout Report
Fact Sheet on Thyroid Cancer
Q & A on the NCI Fallout Report
In Answer To Your Questions About Thyroid Cancer
Listing of State and County Exposures
US map with County-by-County Exposures
Executive Summary of NCI Report
Technical Summary of NCI Report
Full Report
Other Sources of Information
Congressional Testimony on Fallout by NCI Director Dr. Richard Klausner
Calculation of the Estimated Lifetime Risk of Radiation-Related Thyroid Cancer in the United States from Nevada Test Site Fallout
Q and A About Estimating Risk
Individual Dose Calculator

"What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer"
10/1/97
This booklet discusses screening and early detection, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. It also has information to help patients cope with breast cancer. "Breast Cancer" is the first of this popular series to be online with full text and graphics. Look for others is October and November.

Cancer Patient Education Database
9/29/97
The Cancer Patient Education (CPE) Database provides titles, abstracts and availability information on hundreds of cancer patient education resources designed to inform patients and their families about issues such as treatment options, pain management, rehabilitation, palliative care, and surviving cancer.

NCI Statement on the leadership of Bernard Fisher, M.D.
8/28/97
NCI releases a statement on the outstanding 40-year career of Dr. Bernard Fisher, a dominant force in the study of breast cancer.

Cancer Genome Anatomy Project Website
8/1/97
Website, developed by the National Cancer Institute and the National Library of Medicine, offers powerful research tool to help identify and study genes involved in cancer. See also:

Press Release
Fact Sheet
Questions & Answers

Benefits and Risks of Screening Mammograms
7/97
The University of California at San Francisco has developed a website to provide up to date information about the potential benefits and risks of screening mammograms. Designed as part of a scientific study, this interactive site will help women make the personal decision whether to have or not have a mammogram and provide information to UCSF on this decision process. To visit this site click here.

Estrogen Replacement Therapy for Survivors of Uterine Cancer
4/29/97
The National Cancer Institute is launching the first large national study of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) for women who have had cancer of the uterus. The study is designed to resolve the current controversy over the safety of estrogen replacement for survivors of uterine, or endometrial cancer. Physicians prescribe estrogen replacement after menopause to prevent osteoporosis and heart disease and to relieve menopausal symptoms. But for women with a history of uterine cancer, ERT has long been taboo. "Many physicians have assumed that estrogen could bring a recurrence of the disease," said Edward Trimble, M.D., of NCI's Division of Cancer Treatment, Diagnosis and Centers, which is organizing the study. "But now we have no evidence this is so, and we have some evidence that ERT is indeed safe for women with a history of early uterine cancer." The researchers will recruit approximately 2,000 women from around the country.

See press release "Estrogen for Survivors of Uterine Cancer? A New Study Will Resolve Debate" and backgrounder "Questions and Answers About the ERT Study

The Department of Defense and the National Cancer Institute enter landmark agreement
3/97

DoD and the NCI agreement offers TRICARE/CHAMPUS-eligible patients access to promising new cancer therapies.

Breast Cancer Screening for Women 40-49
1/97
An NIH Consensus Development Conference was held January 21-23 to address the issue of breast cancer screening in women ages 40-49. An independent panel, consisting of specialists and generalists as well as representatives from the public, was charged with looking at all the scientific evidence from both observational studies and randomized trials and formulating a consensus statement.

The National Cancer Advisory Board announces its recommendation on mammography screening for women ages 40-49.

The National Cancer Advisory Board issues recommendations for mammography screening for women ages 40-49.

The National Cancer Institute announces its acceptance of the National Cancer Advisory Board's recommendations on mammography screening.

Questions and Answers About Mammography Screening provides information on mammography for all women and on the history of the recommendation to screen women ages 40-49.

Joint Statement from the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society about mammography screening for women in their 40's.

NCI names 15 consumer advocates new group (12/10/97)	NCI has named 15 consumer advocates to the first ever Director's Consumer Liaison Group (DCLG). The DCLG will help develop programs, set research priorities, and find new ways to increase consumer representation at NCI. See Press Release, Backgrounder, and Creating the Director's Consumer Liaison Group.
Study to Estimate Iodine (I-131) Doses from Nuclear Fallout Updated 10/1/97	Results of a study to estimate thyroid doses of Iodine-131 received by individuals from fallout of the Nevada atmospheric nuclear bombs are being released by the National Cancer Institute. Materials curently available include: Press Release on NCI Fallout Report Fact Sheet on Thyroid Cancer Q & A on the NCI Fallout Report In Answer To Your Questions About Thyroid Cancer Listing of State and County Exposures US map with County-by-County Exposures Executive Summary of NCI Report Technical Summary of NCI Report Full Report Other Sources of Information Congressional Testimony on Fallout by NCI Director Dr. Richard Klausner Calculation of the Estimated Lifetime Risk of Radiation-Related Thyroid Cancer in the United States from Nevada Test Site Fallout Q and A About Estimating Risk Individual Dose Calculator
"What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer" 10/1/97	This booklet discusses screening and early detection, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. It also has information to help patients cope with breast cancer. "Breast Cancer" is the first of this popular series to be online with full text and graphics. Look for others is October and November.
Cancer Patient Education Database 9/29/97	The Cancer Patient Education (CPE) Database provides titles, abstracts and availability information on hundreds of cancer patient education resources designed to inform patients and their families about issues such as treatment options, pain management, rehabilitation, palliative care, and surviving cancer.
NCI Statement on the leadership of Bernard Fisher, M.D. 8/28/97	NCI releases a statement on the outstanding 40-year career of Dr. Bernard Fisher, a dominant force in the study of breast cancer.
Cancer Genome Anatomy Project Website 8/1/97	Website, developed by the National Cancer Institute and the National Library of Medicine, offers powerful research tool to help identify and study genes involved in cancer. See also: Press Release Fact Sheet Questions & Answers
Benefits and Risks of Screening Mammograms 7/97	The University of California at San Francisco has developed a website to provide up to date information about the potential benefits and risks of screening mammograms. Designed as part of a scientific study, this interactive site will help women make the personal decision whether to have or not have a mammogram and provide information to UCSF on this decision process. To visit this site click here.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy for Survivors of Uterine Cancer 4/29/97	The National Cancer Institute is launching the first large national study of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) for women who have had cancer of the uterus. The study is designed to resolve the current controversy over the safety of estrogen replacement for survivors of uterine, or endometrial cancer. Physicians prescribe estrogen replacement after menopause to prevent osteoporosis and heart disease and to relieve menopausal symptoms. But for women with a history of uterine cancer, ERT has long been taboo. "Many physicians have assumed that estrogen could bring a recurrence of the disease," said Edward Trimble, M.D., of NCI's Division of Cancer Treatment, Diagnosis and Centers, which is organizing the study. "But now we have no evidence this is so, and we have some evidence that ERT is indeed safe for women with a history of early uterine cancer." The researchers will recruit approximately 2,000 women from around the country. See press release "Estrogen for Survivors of Uterine Cancer? A New Study Will Resolve Debate" and backgrounder "Questions and Answers About the ERT Study
The Department of Defense and the National Cancer Institute enter landmark agreement 3/97	DoD and the NCI agreement offers TRICARE/CHAMPUS-eligible patients access to promising new cancer therapies.
Breast Cancer Screening for Women 40-49 1/97	An NIH Consensus Development Conference was held January 21-23 to address the issue of breast cancer screening in women ages 40-49. An independent panel, consisting of specialists and generalists as well as representatives from the public, was charged with looking at all the scientific evidence from both observational studies and randomized trials and formulating a consensus statement.
	The National Cancer Advisory Board announces its recommendation on mammography screening for women ages 40-49. The National Cancer Advisory Board issues recommendations for mammography screening for women ages 40-49. The National Cancer Institute announces its acceptance of the National Cancer Advisory Board's recommendations on mammography screening. Questions and Answers About Mammography Screening provides information on mammography for all women and on the history of the recommendation to screen women ages 40-49. Joint Statement from the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society about mammography screening for women in their 40's.