Cancer Prevention Study Section – CPSS

Topics

• Discovery and evaluation of diets as well as individual dietary factors, natural products and other chemopreventive agents for the prevention of cancer; design, development and synthesis of cancer preventive agents
• Studies on mechanisms of nutritional prevention at the biochemical, molecular and cellular levels; effects of dietary factors and natural products on hormonal carcinogenesis, chemical carcinogenesis, differentiation/trans-differentiation, apoptosis, metabolome, and cell signaling pathways; the role of diet and natural products in oxidative stress, antioxidant defense mechanisms, and epigenetics
• Studies on obesity-associated cancer risks and development of preventive approaches to stop, or delay initiation and progression of obesity-related cancers
• Design and development of approaches to the prevention of tumors via other factors, such as exercise, diet restriction, or vaccines
• Studies on the relationship of human microbiome and metabolome with cancer and development of novel strategies for prevention of cancer initiation and progression based on microbiome and metabolome profiles
• Development and validation of biomarkers important in cancer prevention including biomarkers of cancer risk, initiation and progression as well as cancer prevention relevant biomarkers identified via profiling of microbiome and metabolome
• Preclinical prevention studies including in vitro and in vivo evaluation of efficacy and safety as well as in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of dietary, natural, and other chemopreventive agents; Phase I and Phase-II clinical trials of cancer preventive agents

Shared Interests and Overlaps

There are shared interests with Molecular Cancer Diagnosis and Classification (MCDC) related to cancer biomarkers. Applications dealing with development and validation of biomarkers important in prevention, including markers of cancer risk and progression; understanding the human microbiome's and metabolome’s relationship with cancer and developing novel cancer associated biomarkers and strategies for prevention of cancer initiation and progression, including those based on microbiome and metabolome profiles, should be assigned to CPSS. Applications developing and validating biomarkers of early cancer detection, progression, recurrence, and response to therapy should be assigned to MCDC.

There are shared interests with Cancer Cell Biology (CCB) related to mechanisms of cancer cell signaling. Applications aiming to understand and to interfere with pro-tumorigenic cell signaling and to augment tumor- suppressor signaling with the goal to prevent cancer initiation and progression should be assigned to CPSS. Applications aiming to investigate signal transduction mechanisms in neoplastic cells, and regulation of tumor cell phenotype and behavior, and tumor progression should be assigned to TCB.

There are shared interests with Translational Immuno-Oncology (TIO) in the areas of tumor vaccines and immune-stimulatory natural products. Applications that focus on vaccines and natural products intended as immunotherapeutic interventions (after development of disease) may be reviewed in TIO. Applications that focus on vaccines or immune-modulating natural products that are primarily applied to prevent emergence of tumors or premalignant lesions may be reviewed in CPSS. 

There are shared interests with study sections of Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences IRG (EMNR) IRG related to obesity. Applications aiming to understand obesity-associated cancer risks and developing preventive approaches to stop, or delay initiation and/or progression of obesity-related cancers should be assigned to CPSS. Applications investigating causes and treatment of obesity should be assigned to EMNR IRG.

There are shared interests with Digestive System Host Defense, Microbial Interactions and Immune and Inflammatory Diseases (DHMI) related to microbiota. Applications focusing on understanding the human microbiome's relationship with cancer and on developing novel cancer associated biomarkers and strategies for prevention of cancer initiation and progression, including those based on microbiome and metabolome profiles, should be assigned to CPSS. Applications aiming to study the effect of the gastrointestinal microbiota on gastrointestinal health and disease should be assigned to DHMI.