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Andrea Butler
albutler@vcu.edu
(804) 628-2111

VCU Massey Cancer Center receives $1.5 million grant to study the impact of teaching family health history as a tool to prevent breast and colon cancer

Richmond, Va. (Aug. 24, 2009) – The National Cancer Institute awarded a five-year, $1.5 million grant to Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center researchers to study the impact of teaching family health history as a tool to prevent breast and colon cancer.

In the study, a research assistant will meet one-on-one with 245 participants from VCU Women’s Health Clinics and teach them how to draw a family tree, identify biological kin, and to ask for and document information about family members who have had breast cancer or colon cancer. Another 245 women in a control arm will receive standard care.

Researchers will measure for differences between these two groups on the primary outcome of family communication about cancer.

“Family health history is among the strongest predictors of cancer and is the most powerful screen for genetic cancer risk,” said Joann Bodurtha, M.D., M.P.H., principal investigator of the study. “By studying the effects of teaching women how to discover their family health history, we can learn whether their new knowledge changes their behaviors and reduces their risk for cancer.”

Bodurtha, a professor in VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Human and Molecular Genetics and co-director of Massey’s Familial Cancer Clinic, and colleagues at VCU and Boston University will develop this intervention and conduct the follow-up research.

“‘Talk it up, write it down, pass it on,’ is the mantra we give our patients in genetic counseling,” said Bodurtha. “Everyone needs to learn to have family conversations about health history in order to optimize cancer prevention.”

“Our long-term objectives are to improve public health and eliminate disparities among people who benefit from familial risk information,” said Bodurtha.
Recently, Bodurtha and colleagues completed a study on the impact of giving women numerical information about their breast cancer risk. The subset of women who learned their numerical risk and worried more about breast cancer had significantly higher mammography screenings after the intervention.

Study collaborators include VCU colleagues John Quillin, Ph.D., Alex Krist, M.D., Rosalie Corona, Ph.D., Joe Borzelleca, M.D., V. Ramesh, Ph.D., and Vivian Rodriguez, M.A., as well as Deborah Bowen, Ph.D., of Boston University.

About Massey Cancer Center
The VCU Massey Cancer Center is one of 65 National Cancer Institute-designated institutions that leads and shapes America’s cancer research efforts. Working with all kinds of cancers, the Center conducts basic, translational and clinical cancer research, provides state-of-the-art treatments and clinical trials and promotes cancer prevention and education. Since 1974, Massey has served as an internationally recognized center of excellence. Its 1,000 researchers, clinicians and staff members are dedicated to improving the quality of human life by developing and delivering effective means to prevent, control and, ultimately, to cure cancer. For appointments call 1-877-4-MASSEY, or visit online at www.massey.vcu.edu.